Joe Collins, Electra Outram lead iron surf series after Newcastle as Ali Day drops bombshell

There were surprises, an upset or two and a bombshell from an ironman champion as the top 16 athletes to vie for the iron surf series titles were determined at Newcastle. See who made the cut.

Racing in Newcastle determined the 16 athletes to go through to the final rounds of the professional iron series. Pictures: Supplied.

Ironman G.O.A.T Ali Day has dropped a bombshell about life in the surf after two days of torrid racing threw up a pair of unexpected leaders in the new-look professional iron surf series at Newcastle.

Defending champions Ali Day and Lana Rogers are both back in third place overall in a series shock with Joe Collins and Electra Outram leading overall hiding into the two final days of the Shaw and Partners series next month.

But few are willing to write off the two champions who have won five and three series crowns respectively and are still well positioned to defend their titles when the series concludes over the weekend of February 1-2.

And in a major development, Day has back tracked from comments he will quit professional racing at the end of the season, admitting his biggest fear is he could regret making the decision to retire a season too early.

“I’m just not sure yet. I had a conversation with Kel (wife) last night and I have to be 100 per cent ready,’’ Day admitted.

“I’m not 50/50 but there are days when you want to keep going. But it’s hard to get your body and mind ready.

“There are still things I really enjoy and some things that are a bit of a chore.

“But I still want to win.

“I’m thinking next year could be my victory lap.’’

Ali Day on his way to victory at Wanda.

Day showed he has both the form and fight to regroup after leading the final race until close to the finish of the eliminator racing on Sunday.

The race honours went instead to a fast-finishing Collins who backed up from his win on Saturday to collect the overall series lead ahead of Ben Carberry and Day.

The do-or-die racing in Newcastle to determined the 16 athletes to contest the final two rounds of the professional iron series. Pictures: Supplied.

A decade into her career Sydney’s Lizzie Welborn has signalled she is tip-top form for her bid to dethrone Gold Coast rival Rogers and win her first ever professional ironwoman title.

So convincing was Welborn’s victory in Newcastle’s second round of the series she had time to stop and hug her coach before sauntering up the beach to the finish line on Sunday.

It was only the Newport surf life saver’s third round win of her career - but unlikely to be her last.

“I am very happy. I haven’t had that many wins in my career,’’ said Welborn, who admitted she felt in-tune with the ocean on Sunday.

“I was really focused in my warm-up and spent time feeling where the waves were and I felt really good.

“I really like the challenge of tricky conditions.’’

Racing in Newcastle determined the 16 athletes to go through to the final rounds of the professional iron series. Pictures: Supplied.

Defending series champion Rogers finished second on Sunday in round four with Saturday’s winner, Electra Outram, third.

Outram’s third, coupled with her earlier win, has put the Sunshine Coast young gun into the Shaw and Partners iron series lead with just two rounds remaining.

Welborn has move into second place overall with Rogers third and Georgia Fitzsimmons fourth.

The do-or-die rounds at Newcastle determined the top 16 athletes to continue into the final rounds of the series at Burleigh Heads on February 1 and 2.

The format on Sunday saw the bottom six finishers from the starting field of 22 eliminated after two shortcourse races with only the best 10 vying for the round honours in the Eliminator finale.

IRON SERIES TOP 16 AFTER NEWCASTLE

IRONWOMEN: 1 Electra OUTRAM (#4) SUNSHINE BEACH 47, 2 Lizzie WELBORN (#6) NEWPORT 45, 3 Lana ROGERS (#1) NORTHCLIFFE 44, 4 Tiarnee MASSIE (#5) MAROOCHYDORE 41, 5 Georgia FITZSIMMONS (#2) NORTHCLIFFE 36, 6 Lucy DERBYSHIRE (#12) SURFERS PARADISE 32, 7 Analise KIBBLE (#20) NEWPORT 29, 8 Naomi SCOTT (#8) NORTHCLIFFE 28, 9 Jasmine RAYWARD (#9) BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 28, 10 Emma WOODS (#10) ALEXANDRA HEADLAND 28, 11 Carla PAPAC (#14) BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 23, 12 Lily O’SULLIVAN (#19)

BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 21, 13 Jemma SMITH (#22) NEWPORT 18, 14 Mia COOK (#28) ALEXANDRA HEADLAND 16, 15 Hannah SCULLEY (#16) NORTHCLIFFE 15, 16 Olivia CORRIN (#3) NORTHCLIFFE, 13.

IRONMAN:

1 Joe COLLINS (#2) NORTHCLIFFE 52. 2 Ben CARBERRY (#11) BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 46, 3 Ali DAY (#1) SURFERS PARADISE 42, 4 Finn ASKEW (#5)

SURFERS PARADISE 36, 5 Matt BEVILACQUA (#3) NORTHCLIFFE 32, 6 Zach MORRIS (#4) NORTHCLIFFE 32, 6 Ethan CALLAGHAN (#13) BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 32, 8 Conner MAGGS (#14) NEWPORT 26, 9 Cory TAYLOR (#10) NORTHCLIFFE 25, 10 Ryley HARLAND (#15) NORTHCLIFFE 25, 10 Sean RIELLY (#17) BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 25, 12 Joel PIPER (#26) BURLEIGH HEADS MOWBRAY PARK 23, 13 Ky KINSELA (#7) TUGUN 23, 14 Brayden CASAMENTO (#28) ALEXANDRA HEADLAND 20, 15 Jackson BORG (#9), NEWPORT 16, 16 Callum BRENNAN (#22), CURRUMBIN14

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Originally published as Joe Collins, Electra Outram lead iron surf series after Newcastle as Ali Day drops bombshell