Australian surf life saving titles Day 2: Teen causes ironman shock, big names miss cut, photos
A teen caused a stir in the ironman semis, two favourites crashed out while a defending champion sounded a warning on an action-packed second day of the Australian surf life saving titles. Wrap
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An unknown teenager and his best mate from a rival state caused a stir in the ironman semi-finals at the Australian surf life saving championships while two big names crashed out and the defending champion sounded a warning.
Former Australian champion Kendrick Louis from Manly and fellow pre-race favourite Matt Bevilacqua from Northcliff both failed to make the cut in their hot semi while defending champion Ali Day (Surfers Paradise) finished a stressless seventh in his semi.
Wanda uni student and barman Noah Steiner, 19, lead home a NSW sweep in his semi, finishing ahead of Redhead’s Dan Collins and Newport’s Jackson Borg. His best mate Auden Parish finished third behind Northcliff teammates Joe Collins and Zach Morris in the second semi.
“Auden and I are best mates so hopefully we can fly under the radar a bit,’’ said Steiner, who won the ironman at the interstates earlier this year but has yet to qualify for the Nutri-Grain ironman series in which Parish made his debut this season.
Parish, who started his surf life saving with Avoca and Terrigal on the Central Coast before moving to the Gold Coast with his family, said his goal at Aussies was the make his first open final.
“I’m pretty proud of myself doing that,’’ he said.
“At least I don’t have a target on my back in the final like the others.’’
The biggest target will be on Day’s back as he chases his third consecutive Australian crown.
Day, who has depression, said he feels great and is “healthy and happy’’ in an ominous warning to rivals.
“I stood on that start line today and said to myself this is exactly where I want to be and I’m making the most of it,’’ he said.
The Australian ironman crown will be decided in Perth on Sunday
IRONMAN FINALS FIELD; Jay Furniss (Cronulla); Alastair Day (Surfers Paradise); Daniel Collins (Redhead); Joe Collins (Northcliffe); Drew Green (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); Cooper Williams (Alexandra Headland); Zach Morris (Northcliffe); Finn Askew (Surfers Paradise); Max Beattie (Surfers Paradise); Jackson Borg (Newport); Ben Carberry (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); Cory Taylor (Northcliffe); Noah Steiner (Wanda); Charlie Verco (North Bondi); Hayden Cotter (Manly); Auden Parish (Northcliffe)
How good are #Aussies2023 Day one done and dusted. Now on to day 2. Bring it on! 👉 https://t.co/WOYlXqBHNC Great video from @SLSAustraliapic.twitter.com/4o4paly7yr
— amanda lulham (@amandalulham) March 29, 2023
The ironwoman semis were less controversial with Noosa’s Carla Papac, the Coolangatta Gold champion formerly from the Wanda surf club in Sydney, the biggest name to miss the finals cut.
Favourites including defending champion Courtney Hancock, Harriet Brown and Lizzie Welborn did what they had to advance with the semi-finals won by Northcliffe’s Naomi Scott and Maroochydore’s Tiarne Massie.
One young gun hoping to make an impact in her debut open iron is Lucy Derbyshire from Surfers Paradise.
The former South Australian is hoping a childhood racing and competing at Glenelg in flat water will hold her in good stead for the final at a waveless Scarborough.
“It’s actually pretty similar conditions which is good,’’ said Derbyshire, 20, a rising star of the sport.
Newport’s Welborn said the Australian championships are the first surf event she has contested this season in the flat water.
“I try not to think about the conditions too much before. You just have to go out and take what you get,’’ she said.
The ironwoman is wide open following an injury to three-time Australian champion Georgia Miller which has sidelined her for the season.
IRONWOMAN FINALS FIELD: Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); Jade Slee (Northcliffe); Lizzie Welborn (Newport); Olivia Corrin (Northcliffe); Danielle McKenzie (Northcliffe); Brielle Cooper (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park); Tiarnee Massie (Maroochydore); Naomi Scott (Northcliffe); Hannah Sculley (Northcliffe); Emma Woods (Alexandra Headland); Harriet Brown (Northcliffe); Lucy Derbyshire (Surfers Paradise); Bella Williams (Northcliffe); Grace Harris (Alexandra Headland); Lana Rogers (Alexandra Headland); Courtney Hancock (Surfers Paradise)
Tokyo Olympian Riley Fitzsimmons teamed with Northcliff clubmate and top ironwoman Danielle McKenzie to take out the mixed double ski at Aussies on Thursday.
Fitzsimmons, who grew up at Avoca on the Central Coast, paddled at the Tokyo Olympics and is on course to compete against at the Paris Games in 2024, won numerous Australian kayaking medals at the national titles prior to the Aussies starting.
He is now working towards winning his first ever single ski crown.
“I didn’t make the final last year so I’m pretty fired up,’’ he said.
A standout club performance at Aussies on Thursday was that of Kurrawa in the 2km beach run.
Alex Lyndon won the open women’s race and Sam McAuliffe the men’s.
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Originally published as Australian surf life saving titles Day 2: Teen causes ironman shock, big names miss cut, photos
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