Nutri-Grain ironman, ironwoman series guns Ali Day, Lana Rogers claim place in surf history

Lana Rogers cried, Georgia Miller snatched a place in Nutri-Grain series history and Ali Day has equalled one of the most amazing records of an athlete in surf life saving history.

Happy days. Ali Day and Lana Rogers. Picture: HarvPix

Lana Rogers cried and couldn’t talk, Georgia Miller snatched a place in Nutri-Grain series history and Ali Day equalled one of the most extraordinary records of any athlete in the Australian surf life saving as the 2023/24 iron series came to a thrilling conclusion.

Ironwoman Rogers secured her third series crown after two seasons of poor results prompted a sea change which she attributes to her new lease on life in the sport.

Miller became the first woman to win back-to-back rounds this season to secure her second place overall in the series despite a string of early season injuries and mishaps - including badly burnt feet from racing the Coolangatta Gold.

Day then secured his fifth ironman crown in convincing style with his victory in the final race of the six-event series confirming him as one of surf sports greatest.

The win was Day’s 17th major ironman victories in Australian surf life saving with his record now listing five Nutri-Grain series, three Australian titles and nine Coolangatta Gold victories.

Eckstein, a hero of Day’s growing up on the NSW south coast, also has 17 major wins with his nine series titles and eight Australian iron crowns.

Ali Day, wife Kel and son Danny, 3.

Lana Rogers after her third series win. Picture: HarvPix

“There’s no way I put myself up there with Shannon, no way,’’ said a modest Day.

“I will never match what he has done but it’s nice to be spoken about in the same sentence as him.’’

Rogers, who was left speechless and overwhelmed by emotion when told she had the series in the bag after the first of three races at Kurrawa, has confirmed she has now shelved any plans to retire.

“I never thought I could do this once, let alone three times. This is very special for me,’’ said Rogers, who attributes her resurgence to a move from training alone on the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast to train under former iron great Naomi Flood and her talent-laden Northcliffe squad.

“I’ve grown up, moved out of home and I’m doing what I want to do doing and I'm loving it,’’ Rogers said.

“Yes, it’s (retirement) off the agenda. I'm just having so much fun with this now.’’

Happy days. Ali Day and Lana Rogers. Picture: HarvPix

Day, from Surfers Paradise, finished ahead of Joe Collins (Northcliffe) on the overall with his teammates Matt Bevilacqua third and Zach Morris fourth.

Manly’s Kendrick Louis in eighth and Jackson Borg in ninth were the only NSW athletes in the top 10 overall.

Day beat Collins and Bevilacqua for the round six honours.

On a day that marked former series winner Harriet Brown’s retirement, Rogers secured the overall crown from Northcliffe clubmates Miller and Olivia Corrin.

Newport’s Lizzie Welborn was the only non-Queensland based athlete in the top 10 in sixth place overall.

Miller and Rogers were followed over the line in Sunday’s Survival racing by Tiarnee Massi fore her first podium.

Lana Rogers after her third series win. Picture: HarvPix

DAY, ROGERS SET UP BIG FINAL DAY IN NUTRI-GRAIN SERIES

Ali Day and Lana Rogers are within a race of securing the 2023/24 Nutri-Grain iron crowns at Kurrawa on Sunday but there are still athletes who can spoil the party for the pair - and plan to give it a red hot crack

While Georgia Miller won round five of the ironwoman series at Kurrawa on Saturday ahead of Olivia Corrin and Lana Rogers, it is now the latter’s series to lose.

Only New Zealander Corrin can steal the crown off Rogers and to do that she needs the Gold Coast star to have one of the worst days of her life in the water and on the sand.

Rogers would have to finish in the bottom four of the 20-strong field and Corrin win round six for the title to be ripped from her hands.

Ironman Ali Day heading towards his fifth Nutri-Grain crown. Picture: Supplied

“I felt amazing and I didn’t want to hold back and all those little spots count for the overall pointscore so it’s just a battle across the whole day.’’ Rogers said.

“I’m just excited to hopefully finish on a high.

Day is under a more serious assault.

Despite his win over the Specialist run, ski, swim and board races before an ironman event on Saturday, he can't afford too bad a day.

To secure his fifth crown he only needs to finish top six. Outside this and the likes of Joe Collins and Matt Bevilacqua are back with a shot at causing a major upset.

“It’s never over until the very last surge,’’ said Day, soon to become a father for the second time.

“But it felt good out there. I’ve had too many seconds in races recently so it’s nice to win.’’

he said.

Bevilacqua was the biggest loser on the day, going in just a point behind Day but emerging with his worst place of the season - an unlucky 13th.

Ironwoman Georgia Miller back to her best.

On Saturday Miller lead home a Northcliffe trifecta with Tiarnee Massie (Maroochydore) fourth, Electra Outram (Sunshine Beach) fifth and Emily Doyle (Northcliffe) sixth.

Later that afternoon Day (Surfers Paradise) beat Joe Collins (Northcliffe), Corey Fletcher (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Finn Askew (Surfers Paradise), Kendrick Louis (Manly) and Cory Taylor.

OVERALL HEADING INTO ROUND SIX

1 Lana ROGERS Northcliffe, 127, 2 Olivia CORRIN Northcliffe 101, 3 Georgia MILLER Northcliffe 95, 4 Lizzie WELBORN 81, 5 Electra OUTRAM Sunshine Beach 79, 6 Tiarnee MASSIE Maroochydore 68, 7 Jasmine RAYWARD Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park 67, 8 Naomi SCOTT Northcliffe 66, 9 Emily DOYLE Northcliffe 65, 10 Harriet BROWN Northcliffe 62.

1 Ali DAY Surfers Paradise, 127, 2 Joe COLLINS Northcliffe 112, 3 Matt BEVILACQUA Northcliffe 105, 4 Zach MORRIS Northcliffe 82, 5 Corey FLETCHER Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park, Finn ASKEW Surfers Paradise 73, 7 Jackson BORG 72, 8 Ky KINSELA Tugun 68, Kendrick LOUIS Manly 62 10 Cory TAYLOR Northcliffe 61.