Surf ironwoman Georgia Miller starting new sporting career in paddling at Forster race week

In iron racing Georgia Miller is a feared competitor. In her new sporting challenge the surf star admits she has a couple of worries herself.

Georgia Miller winning her third Australian iron crown.

There’s plenty of motivation for surf life saving Australia star Georgia Miller to stay on her ocean ski in her upcoming new sporting challenge.

The recently crowned Australian surf life saving ironwoman champion admits she has a couple of fears ahead of her first foray into ocean paddling.

The first is wobbling about and falling off.

And the second is sharks.

Georgia Miller on her way to victory at the Aussies.

“I hear it’s a bit sharkey there,’’ said Miller, who is heading to the Forster race week with partner, Olympic kayaker Riley Fitzsimmons, for the third leg of the Shaw and Partners Australian ocean racing series.

“If I fall off I’ll be getting back up quickly.’’

Riley Fitzsimmons and Georgia Miller with the NRL premiership trophy.

While a dab hand at surf skiing, Miller is a novice when it comes to ocean ski and long-distance paddling but decided to do the event after the famed Molokai ocean challenge in Hawaii was cancelled - a race she and Fitzsimmons were planning to both race.

“I’ve only ever paddled on an ocean ski one before,’’ she said.

“I might be a bit wobbly.

“I can paddle a surf ski in and out from the beach but catching runners out in the ocean to gain an advantage is a completely different story.’’

While Miller has had a brief break after winning her third consecutive Australian iron title on the Gold Coast two weekends ago, Miller brings top fitness and form into her new endeavour.

She contested seven events at the Australian surf lifesaving championships for seven medals – including five gold.

This followed on from a stint in hospital with a foot injury, Covid earlier this year and also Heart issues.

Her major aim outside surf life saving in 2022 is to race The Fremantle Doctor in November.

Gold Coast’s Tom Norton is the defending champion in both the short and long distance races at Forster. Last year Georgia Laird won the Nine Mile race and the Jemma Smith from the Central Coast, now a teammate of Miller’s at Northcliffe surf club, the 20km Forster Ocean Class

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