Nutri-Grain ironwoman series teen Lucy Derbyshire out to make mark at Manly in Rd 1, Rd 2

Originally this teen star wanted to be swimming for Australia at the Olympic Games. Instead she’s making waves in another sport and hoping to make a famous beach her new field of dreams.

Lucy Derbyshire has high hopes of making a mark this season. Pic: Supplied

They will be in hostile waters and northerners used to warmer weather could be in for a chilly welcome when the Nutri-Grain ironwoman and ironman racing returns to Manly for the first time in 15 years this weekend.

The forecast for below average temperatures of 15-20 degrees has young ironwomen Lucy Derbyshire concerned with the 2022/2023 series tipped to kick off in a biting southerly on Saturday.

The wind chill factor could make the going particularly tough for the Queensland contingent which makes up the majority of the 20-strong ironwoman field.

“The cold could hurt us,” said Derbyshire of the expected unseasonaly cool temperatures, in stark contrast to the heat and humidity of Queensland in recent weeks.

“It’s been so hot up here. It will be tough.’’

Lucy Derbyshire is an athlete on the rise in surf life saving. Pic: Supplied

Derbyshire, who has been watching the series since she was a kid living in South Australia, is one half of surf life saving’s newest couple with boyfriend Finn Askew competing in the ironman.

Both are rising stars of the sport and now train together at Surfers Paradise.

Lucy Derbyshire after winning the 21km short course Coolangatta Gold Pic: Supplied

Despite the forecast, Derbyshire, who grew up wanting to swim at an Olympics before switching lanes to surf life saving, is hoping to make Manly beach a happy hunting ground on Saturday and Sunday.

And with just one NSW based athlete in the entire women’s series in Newport’s Lizzie Welborn, Derbyshire believes Manly will provide one of the most level playing field in the entire series.

“We are all just going to rock up to the beach and not really know what we will get,’’ said the Australian U19 silver medallist and winner of the Coolangatta Gold short course race in October.

Lucy Derbyshire and boyfriend Finn Askew.

Also in the field is Courtney Hancock, the ironwoman Derbyshire loved growing up and now trains alongside.

“I was a bit of a fan girl,’’ she said. “In South Australia we looked up to all the girls and she was the main one then.

“She’s a great role model.’’

Derbyshire’s best result in the series to date was a fourth place in the Kurrawa round of the last event..

Her goal in the upcoming series is to auto qualify with a top 10 and make the podium in a round.

The ironwoman and ironman series will be contested by 20 men and 20 women who will race on three of Australia’s most famous beaches during the six round event.

NSW will host the opening four rounds at Manly on December 17 and 18 and then Maroubra on January 14 and 15.

The final two rounds will be contested at Kurrawa beach on the Gold Coast on February 4 and five.

Racing commences at 12.30pm on Saturday and will involve a enduro format - a 40-minute iron race over an M-Shaped or traditional course. Each of the disciplines of swim, board, ski will be completed twice with competitors taking on the surf repeatedly.

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NUTRI-GRAIN IRONWOMAN 2023 SERIES FIELD

Harriet Brown, Danielle McKenzie, Courtney Hancock, Hannah Sculley, Aly Bull, Brielle Cooper, Lana Rogers, Georgia Miller, Tayla Halliday, Olivia Corrin, Grace Otto, Naomi Scott, Lily O’Sullivan, Lizzie Welborn, Tiarnee Massie, Emily Doyle, Lucy Derbyshire, Emma Woods, Grace Harris, Carla Papac.