Ali Day and Lana Rogers victorious at Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic

IN the end, it was the man who would be king, Surfers Paradise ironman Ali Day, who had to produce his best to unseat the reigning monarch in Shannon Eckstein’s signature race at Northcliffe Beach today.

IN the end, it was the man who would be king, Surfers Paradise ironman Ali Day, who had to produce his best to unseat the reigning monarch in Shannon Eckstein’s signature race at Northcliffe Beach today.

Day, who is very much the heir apparent to the retiring Eckstein, had a race on his hands from the opening ski leg, knowing full well with a $20,000 winners cheque up for grabs, his 35-year-old idol would not abdicate without a fight.

And fight he did, with his subjects screaming support from their seats in their beachside coliseum, the greatest ironman in the history of Australian surf sports, led out of the ski and the board in true “do or die” Eckstein fashion.

With the swim and an agonising 200m run over a sandbank to the finish and with the younger legs of Day and his brother Caine in hot pursuit, it was the surf gods who would have to come into play.

And as the field approached the break and Eckstein gasping for air, a leaders wave popped up but as hard as he tried and with the crowd willing him down it, Eckstein just couldn’t pull himself over.

It was a lift that would have sealed a fairytale victory for the home town hero in the Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic – a race to celebrate the 20-year career of the eight time Aussies and nine-time series winner.

Winner Ali Day. Picture: Shane Myers

“I thought I was on. I said to myself, ‘I’m down this’ but it just pushed me off the back and then I knew it was going to be tough from there when I saw Ali so close and it would be a sprint to the line, I’m pretty shocking at sprint finishers at the best of times,” Eckstein said.

“But I’ve got to be happy with the way I raced, I paddled well, my board was good and I felt great in the swim but Ali as was too good in the end.

“He has been in great form all season and he showed that you can win the Coolangatta Gold and come back and take the series and the worlds in between – well done to him and also to Caine – great to have him back racing well again.

“It’s all on again at the Aussies, can’t wait to do it all over again, should be great.”

Day was as humble as ever.

“Full kudos to Shannon, he led from the start and I have to say I was pretty lucky and got on to their feet coming around the swim buoys,” he said.

“I’m just so proud to be part of Shannon’s second last race and to have my name on the inaugural Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic Trophy.”

In the women’s race, Noosa Heads’ Australian and Queensland champion Lana Rogers knew she had to work the sandbanks to take the $20,000 cash prizemoney.

Lana Rogers and Ali Day. Picture: Ian Hanson

“There wasn’t a great deal happening and I knew like last week from the State Championships down at Broadbeach that you had to race smart and use the banks,” Rogers said.

“Around the swimming buoys I went with my gut and took to the front and in the end it paid off and I knew it would come down to a sprint between Georgia and I.”

In the earlier races Australian swim star Lani Pallister (Alexandra Headand) showed just why she is heading for the brightest of futures en-route to next year’s Tokyo Olympic swim trials with an all-the way win in the Under-17 Ironwoman.

The girl who will set herself for the middle distance freestyle events in the pool (the 200m to 1500m) showed all her board paddling skills to lead the field, only to extend her lead in the swim.

With legendary Australian swim coach Denis Cotterell watching on, Pallister put on a master class swim in the perfect conditions – catching a wave to the beach to put the icing on a special performance.

The under-age boys events saw Newport brothers Mitch Morris (under-15) and Zach Morris (under-17) steal the show in spectacular fashion, while Currumbin’s Charlotte Cross showed all her surfing skills to take out the under-15 girls event.