Nutri-Grain ironwoman, ironman Rd 3-4: Matt Bevilacqua’s double win, Lana Rogers extends, results
Matt Bevilacqua got a kiss from his girl and a second win in 24 hours on a beach he nearly drowned at on a remarkable day involving a mass rescue by Australia’s top iron surf stars.
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When Matt Bevilacqua was a 13-year-old nipper he was so small and slow he nearly drowned while competing at an interstate surf life saving competition at Maroubra Beach.
Now 18 years on, the kid who told his dad that same day he would get “heaps better’’ won his second round of the Nutri-Grain ironman series in 24 hours on the same beach - the stage for a mass rescue soon after when 25 swimmers got caught in a freak rip in front of the best iron athletes in the country.
“How crazy is that, all these years later, to win two race back to back,’’ said Bevilacqua, 31, the surf star who grew up in Tasmania and became the first athlete from the apple isle to compete on the professional iron series when still in his teens.
“My dad was saying we came here for an interstates and it almost broke me. I was so far behind and dad was scared I wasn’t coming back in. I nearly drowned.
“I remember it so well, being on a nipper board and barely scrapping home.
“But I also remember telling dad I was OK and I’d get them in a few years. I was always positive. I guess that positivity has always helped me.’’
The back-to-back wins in rounds three and four in Sydney on the weekend have put Bevilacqua within a point of series leader Ali Day who missed the podium for the first time this series for his seventh place in Sunday’s survival format racing after being washed from his ski in the final race.
Bevilacqua is the defending series champion but until Saturday had not won a leg for more than a year.
“It’s been a good weekend for sure,’’ said Bevilacqua who stole a kiss from girlfriend and ironwoman Brielle Cooper as he ran up the beach for his win over Newport’s Jackson Borg who soon after was one of the ironmen who rushed out to sea to help save the lives of then children and swimmers caught in the rip.
“This winning is addictive.’’
IRONMAN ROUND 4 RESULTS: 1. BEVILACQUA, Matt (Northcliffe); 2. BORG, Jackson (Newport); 3. FLETCHER, Corey (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 4. MORRIS, Zach (Northcliffe); 5. COLLINS, Joe (Northcliffe); 6. KINSELA, Ky (Tugun); 7. DAY, Ali (Surfers Paradise); 8. COLLINS, Dan (Redhead); 9. ASKEW, Finn (Surfers Paradise); 10. BROOKS, Charlie (Newport); 11. MAGGS, Conner (Newport); 12. PARISH, Auden (Northcliffe); 13. CARBERRY, Ben (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 14. WILLIAMS, Cooper (Alexandra Headland); 15. HARLAND, Ryley (Northcliffe); 16. LOUIS, Kendrick (Manly); 17. TAYLOR, Cory (Northcliffe); 18. LYNDON, Tanyn (Kurrawa); 19. MORRIS, Mitchell (Northcliffe); 20. SAVAGE, Will (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
IRONMAN OVERALL RESULTS: 1. DAY, Ali (97 points); 2. BEVILACQUA, Matt (96 points); 3. COLLINS, Joe (86 points); 4. MORRIS, Zach (68 points); 5. BORG, Jackson (59 points); 6. CARBERRY, Ben (57 points); 7. KINSELA, Ky (56 points); 8. FLETCHER, Corey (54 points); 9. ASKEW, Finn (53 points); 10. TAYLOR, Cory (45 points); 10. COLLINS, Dan (45 points)
In the women’s racing, defending champion Georgia Miller was knocked out early, clearing a path for Lana Rogers’s to extend her lead in the current series heading into the final two rounds at Kurrawa on February 3-4.
Rogers, who said she is in a happy place in and out of the water and also won a round at Manly beach in December, was another of the iron athletes involved in the dramatic rescue after the women’s race.
The drama unfolded on a turning tide with swimmers dragged out to sea but rescued by a combination of life savers from Maroubra and athletes like Rogers who grabbed craft or just swam out to help save the swimmers until IRB rescues teams arrived.
“I’m just glad everyone is OK,’’ said Rogers, from the Gold Coast.
While Rogers took the win it was rising surf, kayak and swim star Jasmine Raywart who stunned.
The 17-year-old finished second for her first podium in her first ironwoman series.
“I am just so excited. I feel like it all just fell into place for me. It’s crazy,’’ said Raywart who has competed for Australian junior open water swimming, surf life saving and kayak teams.
IRONWOMAN ROUND 4 RESULTS: 1. ROGERS, Lana (Northcliffe); 2. RAYWARD, Jasmine (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 3. WELBORN, Lizzie (Newport); 4. CORRIN, Olivia (Northcliffe); 5. BROWN, Harriet (Northcliffe); 6. WOODS, Emma (Alexandra Headland); 7. SCULLEY, Hannah (Northcliffe); 8. SCOTT, Naomi (Northcliffe); 9. HALLIDAY, Tayla (Alexandra Headland); 10. MILLER, Georgia (Northcliffe); 11. MASSIE, Tiarnee (Maroochydore); 12. OUTRAM, Electra (Sunshine Beach); 13. KIBBLE, Analise (Newport); 14. DOYLE, Emily (Northcliffe); 15. O’SULLIVAN, Lily (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 16. HARRISON, Piper (Newport); 17. OTTO, Grace (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 18. CROSS, Charlotte (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 19. COOPER, Brielle (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 20. STITT, Dominique (Mooloolaba)
IRONWOMAN OVERALL RESULTS: 1. ROGERS, Lana (109 points); 2. CORRIN, Olivia (82 points); 3. MILLER, Georgia (75 points); 4. WELBORN, Lizzie (69 points); 5. OUTRAM, Electra (63 points); 6. SCOTT, Naomi (58 points); 7. RAYWARD, Jasmine (54 points); 8. MASSIE, Tiarnee (51 points); 8. BROWN, Harriet (51 points); 10. DOYLE, Emily (50 points)
NUTRI-GRAIN ROUND THREE NEWS AND RESULTS
A young New Zealand athlete coached by an Aussie legend created history on a day of unexpected rookie results and big performances by the senior brigade of Australian surf life saving in the third round of the professional ironwoman and ironman series.
Gold Coast based Olivia Corrin, the Australian board champion coached by surf legend and Olympic kayaker Naomi Flood, won her first round of the Nutri-Grain series when she beat Newport rookie Annalise Kibble for victory in the women’s race.
Kibble, just 19, was a late inclusion into the series following the unexpected withdrawal of multiple series winner Courtney Hancock.
In the ironman race it was a different affair with two senior statesmen in Matt Bevilacqua and Ali day going one-two while Generation Next series winner Mitch Morris, also 19, raced onto the podium for the first time.
“It's pretty special for me,’’ said Morris, who grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches before relocating to the Gold Coast for his iron career and a plumbing apprenticeship.
“I don’t fear them (his older rivals), I just love to race them.’’
Kibble had a different take on it, admitting she is still pinching herself that she is in the series and racing against her idols who intimidate her.
“I just tried to put it aside in my head and race,’’ she said. “This is so exciting. I’m still in a bit of shock.’’
While it was Corrin’s first ever win in the Nutri-Grain series it was Bevilacqua’s first in a year.
“It’s been a big gap after winning round one last year,’’ he said.
“But wins against this field of legends are hard to come by.’’
“There are 20 guys capable of winning races without a doubt and these young ones are always nipping at our heels.
“We have to rely on our experience. I'm also training as hard as I was at 18 and still reckon I am learning and getting better which is what you have to do to stay ahead.’’
Corrin believes more established stars like round one and two winners Lana Rogers and Georgia Miller will be fired-up by Saturday’s results for the fourth round of the series at Maroubra today.
“This really is a dream come true. It’s just amazing,’’ she said after winning the round which involved two initial races which gave athletes their handicap starting time for the third and deciding swim, ski and board race.
“It was so good Annalise Kibble had an awesome day today. It’s so good seeing the young ones pushing through.
“I think the older ones will be fired up for the next one.’’
NUTRI-GRAIN ROUND 3 RESULTS IRONWOMAN
1. CORRIN, Olivia (Northcliffe); 2. KIBBLE, Annalise (Newport); 3. ROGERS, Lana (Northcliffe); 4. MILLER, Georgia (Northcliffe); 5. SCOTT, Naomi (Northcliffe); 6. DOYLE, Emily (Northcliffe); 7. COOPER, Brielle (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 8. OUTRAM, Electra (Sunshine Beach); 9. MASSIE, Tiarnee (Maroochydore); 10. RAYWARD, Jasmine (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 11. WELBORN, Lizzie (Newport); 12. OTTO, Grace (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 13. BROWN, Harriet (Northcliffe); 14. SCULLEY, Hannah (Northcliffe); 15. CROSS, Charlotte (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 16. HARRISON, Piper (Newport); 17. STINT, Dominique (Mooloolaba); 18. HALLIDAY, Tayla (Alexandra Headland); 19. WOODS, Emma (Alexandra Headland); 20. O’SULLIVAN, Lily (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park).
OVERALL: 1. ROGERS, Lana (79 points); 2. MILLER, Georgia (63 points); 3. CORRIN, Olivia (62 points); 4. OUTRAM, Electra (53 points); 5. DERBYSHIRE, Lucy (49 points); 6. WELBORN, Lizzie (46 points); 7. SCOTT, Naomi (44 points); 8. DOYLE, Emily (42 points); 8. COOPER, Brielle (42 points); 10. MASSIE, Tiarnee (40 points)
NUTRI-GRAIN ROUND 3 RESULTS IRONMAN
1. BEVILACQUA, Matt (Northcliffe); 2. DAY, Ali (Surfers Paradise); 3. MORRIS, Mitch (Northcliffe); 4. CARBERRY, Ben (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 5. MORRIS, Zach (Northcliffe); 6. MAGGS, Conner (Newport); 7. FLETCHER, Corey (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 8. LYNDON, Tanyn (Kurrawa); 9. BORG, Jackson (Newport); 10. COLLINS, Joe (Northcliffe); 11. ASKEW, Finn (Surfers Paradise); 12. COLLINS, Dan (Redhead); 13. BROOKS, Charlie (Newport); 14. LOUIS, Kendrick (Manly); 15. SAVAGE, Will (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); 16. PARISH, Auden (Northcliffe); 17. TAYLOR, Cory (Northcliffe); 18. KINSELA, Ky (Tugun); 19. WILLIAMS, Cooper (Alexandra Headland); 20. HARLAND, Ryley (Northcliffe)
OVERALL: 1. DAY, Ali (82 points); 2. COLLINS, Joe (68 points); 3. BEVILACQUA, Matt (66 points); 4. MORRIS, Zach (48 points); 4. CARBERRY, Ben (48 points); 6. TAYLOR, Cory (40 points); 6. KINSELA, Ky (40 points); 6. ASKEW, Finn (40 points); 9. LOUIS, Kendrick (38 points); 10. MORRIS, Mitch (35 points)
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