Lizzie Welborn training for 52km paddle has close encounter with whale

SURF ironwoman Lizzie Welborn never stops.After a busy surf lifesaving season, the North Bondi young gun is having a crack at the Mount Everest of ocean paddling. Whales joined in during her training.

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SURF ironwoman Lizzie Welborn just never stops.

After a busy surf lifesaving season, the North Bondi young gun is having a crack at the Mount Everest of ocean paddling.

Welborn, 18, is training for Hawaii’s Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships on July 30.

Lizzie Welborn is hard at training but had a delightful encounter with some breaching whales.

Welborn trains all over Sydney, even in the harbour, and at North Bondi. Picture: Tim Hunter

“It’s around 52km ... it usually takes people about five or six hours,” said Welborn (pictured).

“It’s my first time, I’ve been wanting to do it for a really long time, ever since I was 15 but because of school, I could never do it.

“It’s such an amazing paddle, just getting there and doing it is an achievement in itself.”

Welborn took a gap year after finishing high school to further her sporting career, including the Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Championships and the prestigious Aussies (national titles).

She has recently returned from a short US holiday with her family and is back in training.

Sisters Lizzie and Zoe Welborn training together.

“It’s a lot different to what I usually train for,” Welborn said. “I’ll have to do a lot of longer stuff and get stronger ... I’ll probably have to hit the gym a bit more.

“It’s so different to what I’ve done before.”

Welborn will be up against tough competition during the race, including champion ironwomen Jordan Mercer, Harriet Brown and Danielle McKenzie.

Lizzie Welborn at North Bondi Beach. Picture: Tim Hunter

Lizzie Welborn’s competition Harriet Brown. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“We got first, second, third and fourth at the world championships in the board race,” Welborn said.

“We’re the top board paddlers.

“Obviously this is Jordan’s race, she’s won it six years in a row so she’s going to be the hardest one to beat.

“And I know Harriet and Danielle have done long races before.”

Videos posted on social media show Welborn training in picturesque locations. One of them shows her paddling hard in the harbour next to the Opera House.

Another video shows whales breaching close to the young paddler on her 5.5m board.