Young ironwomen riding new wave of success in Nutri-Grain series
THEY were once the Generation Next of surf lifesaving - a band of young women with the potential to make a big mark on ironwoman racing. Now they have arrived.
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THEY were once the Generation Next of surf lifesaving — a band of young women with the potential and skills to make their mark in the competitive world of professional ironwoman racing.
Last month Georgia Miller 21, Lizzie Welborn, 19, Maddy Dunn, 21, and Lana Rogers, 21, morphed into Generation Now with a stunning performance in the opening round of the Nutri-Grain ironwoman series.
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The quartet followed schoolgirl Jemma Smith, 18, across the finish line in a wholesale changing of the guard for the sport.
Missing from the top five were veterans and former Nutri-Grain champions Harriet Brown and Courtney Hancock who finished ninth and 10th on the day in a shock result.
And Miller believes she knows what triggered the wave of new success.
“We are not scared of racing the older girls any more,’’ said the Northern Beaches surf lifesaver who finished runner-up to Smith at Queenscliff.
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“I think there was once a sense of intimidation. We all looked up to them.
“To be racing against them was always a big thing.
“But we are a bit older now and have raced them a few times and now we just want to beat our idols. It’s a challenge.’’
Coolangatta Gold winner Hancock and Brown, who won last year’s Nutri-Grain ironwoman crown, are expected to fight back on Sunday at Coolum which is hosting the second round of the series.
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“But it’s important to show that round one was no fluke and do it again,’’ Miller said.
“You have to be consistent across all the rounds to do well.’’
TJ Hendy broke through for the biggest win of his career in the men’s racing last round but the likes of multiple champion Shannon Eckstein, Ali Day and Matt Poole are tips to claim the limelight in the Nutri-Grain ironman racing on Sunday.