Australian surf life saving: Ali Day, Naomi Scott win iron crowns, Paris Olympic paddlers, swimmers shine
One wasn’t going to race a month ago. The other moved states to chase her dream. Now these surf stars have beaten personal demons and the best in the country to win Australian iron crowns
NSW
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Surf rising star Naomi Scott overcame a red-hot field, former champions and a battle with depression and anxiety to claim her first Australian iron crown just minutes before Ali Day wrote his name into surf life saving’s history books - again.
Scott’s win came almost a decade after she won her first Australian iron title in the U15’s, after an extended bout of glandular fever, assorted injuries and mental health issues.
Day’s saw him join surf greats - including Barry Rogers, Trevor Hendy, Grant Kenny, Shannon Eckstein and Ky Hurst - by winning three consecutive Australian ironman titles with his victory coming just a month after a crisis of faith almost forced him to withdraw from the Aussies in Perth.
Scott, 23, who spent 10 years with the Manly club before relocating to powerhouse Gold Coast club Northcliffe this season, dissolved into tears after beating clubmate Danielle McKenzie and Lucy Derbyshire (Surfers Paradise) for her maiden crown.
“It’s been such a journey, such a crazy ride,’’ said Scott, who won six medals at the Aussies, including three gold in the belt, ironwoman and board rescue.
“To join people like Georgia Miller and Courtney Hancock as an Australian champion is insane.
“I’ve had some anxiety and depression and been treated and I’m trying to get better.
“It’s been such a battle to get here but the move and my new club has allowed me to be the best person I can.’’
Cooper Williams from Alexandra Headland and Zach Morris from Northcliffe claimed the silver and bronze.
Day, who has spoken openly for the past few years about his mental health issues, rated the win as one of “his hardest and best’’.
“That makes me feel quite emotional,’’ Day said when told he had become only the sixth man to win three consecutive Australian iron crowns.
Speculation was rife, Day, who hails from the NSW south coast but now competes for Surfers Paradise, would retire at the end of the 2023 Aussies.
But Day confirmed he wants to race on after injury and illness saw him race sporadically this season.
“It took me 10 times to win this. I’m enjoying it,’’ he said.
TEAR AND CHEERS IN SURF SKI RACING
There were tears from an ironwoman, big results from Paris Olympic paddlers and swim hopefuls and stunning races from rising stars on the final day of the Australian surf life saving titles
Injured ironwoman Georgia Miller wasn’t able to defend her crown at the Australian surf life saving titles but she got to do the only other thing she wanted - hug fiancee Riley Fitzgibbons after his win in one of the most hotly contested ski races in recent memory.
An emotional Miller, who fractured two vertebrae in her back and ruptured her spleen in a training accident last month, was there to congratulate Tokyo Olympian partner Riley Fitzsimmons after he beat two men he will potentially call teammates at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
“I am a wreck,’’ said Miller, who was on track to defend her Australian iron crown before smashing her back into the bow of a teammates surf ski.
Fitzsimmons (Northcliffe), who started his career at Avoca before relocating to the Gold Coast, was equally emotional after beating young gun Noah Havard from North Bondi and defending ski champion Jackson Collins from Kurrawa for his second Australian ski crown.
“It’s unbelievable. There was a lot of pressure on the kayakers to perform today and I was pretty nervous,’’ he said.
Australian kayakers dominated every ski race at the Australian titles except the under 17 men’s won by Newport young gun and rising ironman star Connor Maggs.
Australian kayak teammate Aly Bull (Alex Headlands) also excelled in the ski to claim the open women’s crown from Newport’s Jemma Smith and national paddling teammate Ella Beere from Avoca.
Paddle Australia rising star, teenager Natalia Drobot from Avoca, pulled off a resounding victory in the Under 19 racing.
“This means the world. I’m super proud but also a little shocked,’’ she said.
“Every time I putt on the cap for Avoca it means something.
“We are a small club but we have such a great history with the likes of Riley and Lachie (Tame, Fitzsimmons’s K4 teammate in Tokyo).’’
SWIMMERS SHINE IN THE FLAT
Paris Olympic hopeful Nicholas Sloman from Northcliffe produced an emphatic performance to win the open surf race from clubmate Bailey Armstrong and Manly’s Hayden Cotter.
It was the fifth Australian title in the event for Sloman who said he had felt pressure to perform.
“It’s a bit of a relief. I put a lot of pressure on myself as a swimmer,’’ he said.
“There are always guys who want to take your crown away.’’
Fellow Paris hopeful and rising swim star Lani Pallister swam off course but still managed to claim her first ever open surf race crown.
“I was wearing the cap my dad raced used to race Masters events at Alex,’’ she said of her father Rick, a former ironman and triathlete.
“It’s very exciting for me to be continuing our family surf life saving tradition.’’
Pallister (Alexandra Headland) beat Naomi Scott (Northcliffe) and Jade Slee (Northcliffe).
One of the most outstanding athletes at the Australian championships was Newport’s Conner Maggs.
Maggs, who debuted on the Nutri-Grain series this season, finished Aussies with eight gold medals.
These included his wins in the U17 surf race, ski, ironman and board on Sunday.
SPEEDSTERS RULE
Currumbin legend Elizabeth “EJ” Forsyth and Newport’s Blake Drysdale ruled the amphitheatre with their wins in the open beach flags.
It was the fifth Australian open crown for Forsyth who beat Northcliffe’s Chelsea Lane and North Cronulla’s Alexndra Rampoldi.
““That’s number five for me - my goal at the start was to get one and here I am,’’ she said.
“I love the ride, I love the journey, I love the process … coming out here and being able to perform when I needed to makes all the hard work really worth it,” said Forsyth.
It was Drysdale’s fourth Australian title with the northern beaches sprinter beating Northcliffe’s Jason Gough and Japan’s Shogo Horie.
“The first title was awesome but the fourth one feels just as special. They just get better, and better every time. I’m so happy,’’ he said.
QUEENSLAND TRIFECTA
Alexandra Headland’s came from behind to beat two Currumbin teams in the lifesaver relay battle for the Aussie crown.
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