Race to find new Shannon Eckstein with Mitch Morris, Hugh Monro winning Aussie surf life saving youth titles

The race is on to find the new Shannon Eckstein but if current form is any indication his heir apparent could well hail from south of the border rather than Queensland waters.

Young surf star Mitch Morris at the Australian surf life saving championships.

The race is on to find the new Shannon Eckstein with the legendary ironman less than a week from retirement but if current form is any indication his heir apparent could well hail from south of the border rather than Queensland waters.

A day after his race was delayed 24 hours due to a stingray sighting, youngster Mitch Morris emerged as a star in the making on the opening weekend of the annual Australian surf life saving championships on the Gold Coast.

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The 14-year-old from Sydney’s Northern Beaches won the ironman race on Sunday which followed on from his victory in the surf race and second behind twin and Newport clubmate Jake in the board race.

Young surf star Mitch Morris at the Australian surf life saving championships. Pic: Harvie Allison.

Hundreds of Australian surf life saving competitors waited on the beach to see if competitions would resume after a sting ray sighting on Saturday.

Morris, who with other youth competitors spent an hour on the beach on Saturday due to a sighting of a sting ray in the competition waters, said having Jake as a training mate keeps him on his toes.

“He gives it to me some times,’’ Morris said after adding the ironman crown to his list of success on Sunday.

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“We bring out the best in each other. We go toe-to-toe a lot.

“We’d like to be in the (Nutri-Grain) ironman series together one day.’’’

Hugh Monroe with the parents of Matthew Barclay at the Australian surf lifesaving titles. Pic: Harvie Allison

It was the professional series which launched Eckstein’s career with the Gold Coast based athlete winning nine titles before calling it quits at the conclusion of the 2018/2019 series last month.

On Sunday Eckstein 35, will attempt to win his ninth open ironman crown at his final Aussies as an elite competitor.

Eckstein has also won 41 gold medals during his long career to go with his multiple Nutri-Grain ironman wins and world ironman crowns.

Currumbin’s Hugh Monroe won the under 15’s ironman title on Sunday and was awarded the Matthew Barclay memorial trophy in honour of the 14 year-old who died competing back in 2012.

Monroe received the trophy from Barclay’s parents Steve and Donna who were at the event watching the race on Sunday.

Jamie Perkins from Maroochydore won the under 14’s ironwoman and board crowns in another stellar performance on the final day with Currumbin’s Charlotte Cross the under 15’s ironwoman champion.