Redhead’s Dan Collins makes cut for Nutri-Grain ironman series after time out
Redhead surf life saver Dan Collins always wanted to be racing on the Nutri-Grain ironman series. Now he’s got his wish.
The Newcastle News
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Redhead surf life saver Dan Collins always wanted to be racing on the Nutri-Grain ironman series. Now he has got his wish.
The young life saver only recently returned to racing after a brief time out and has won the Nutri-Grain qualifying event in Queensland.
Collins is one of just three surf life savers from NSW to win their way into the main field via the two-day event on the Sunshine Coast.
He will join Newport’s Jackson Borg and Wanda’s Brittany Pierce in the series after winning the men’s qualifying event, which comprised six races over two days.
Collins, the 2018 NSW ironman champion, took a step back from the sport in the wake of his sister Jessica being paralysed from the neck down in a surfing accident at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast in May last year.
“I just had that stuff going on so I took some time away to be with my family,’’ Collins said.
“She’ll be stoked I made the series.’’
Collins won the weekend from Borg, admitting the close competition between the pair spurred them both on.
“Jacko and I were matched up a few times over the course of the weekend and it really helped both of us,” he said.
“We kept each other up the top of the pack, round the cans and through the course.”
The 22-year-old works as a seasonal lifeguard and is studying exercise and sport at Newcastle Uni.
“I’m doing it part time so I can fit all this in,’’ Collins said.
This year’s series has $100,000 worth of prize money up for grabs and kicks off for the first time with the famed endurance event, the Coolangatta Gold on October 13.
2019/20 Nutri-Grain Ironman & Ironwoman Series
Round 1, 13 October 2019 — Coolangatta Gold, QLD
Round 2, 17 November 2019 — Enduro, Burleigh Heads, QLD
Round 3, 1 December 2019 — Super Spring, Bulli NSW
Round 4, 15 December 2019 — The Specialist, Surfers Paradise QLD
Round 5, 19 January 2020 — Survival, North Cronulla NSW