Ali Day taking confidence from past success into first World Oceanman title on Sunday

COOLANGATTA Gold king Ali Day will take the confidence of one his finest moments in lifesaving when he lines up chasing his first World Oceanman title in Adelaide on Sunday.

COOLANGATTA Gold king Ali Day will take the confidence of one his finest moments in lifesaving when he lines up chasing his first World Oceanman title in Adelaide on Sunday.

The 26-year-old spearheaded his club to a thrilling Oceanman Relay world crown with his Surfers Paradise teammates on Saturday afternoon on Glenelg Beach.

He used all his skill and strength to edge in front of Currumbin’s Hayden White towards the end of the ski leg, giving his anchor sprinter Nathan Gray enough lead to sprint to the finish and claim the title.

Day and White are products of the Warilla Barrack Point junior nursery on the NSW South Coast and have been lifetime best mates.

After paddling stroke-for-stroke around the choppy course it was the six-time Coolangatta Gold champion who paddled over a small chop to get the edge over White and a 10m advantage.

Ali Day (left) tags Nathan Gray during the World Oceanman title at Glenelg Beach, Adelaide on Saturday. Picture: AAP Image/Supplied

“It was pretty funny having to paddle around the course the whole way next to one of my best mates,” Day said.

“They are probably the hardest races to win and to win it with it those boys, Max Beattie (board), TJ Hendy (swim) and Nath, it just feels so special.

“I’ve never won an Oceanman or Taplin Relay before and I’m so thrilled to do it here in Adelaide.”

Day will line up in the individual Oceanman (Ironman) against the likes of reigning Nutri-Grain champion and Friday’s individual board winner Matt Bevilacqua (Kurrawa) and James Lacey (Mermaid Beach), as well as his Surfers teammates.

Saturday also saw the continuing emergence of one of lifesaving and swimming’s real prodigies in 16-year-old Alexandra Headland schoolgirl Lani Pallister, who scored one of the most impressive victories in recent memory to win the women’s world open surf race title.

The daughter of Olympian and her stillwater coach Janelle Elford and former surf race and belt great Rick Pallister, Lani left behind Northcliffe trio – National Teams surf race champion Georgia Miller, Margaux Fabre and former Australian surf race champion, ironwoman star Courtney Hancock.

Pallister (swim) later combined with Olympic kayaker and Friday’s world single ski champion Alyssa Bull (ski), Olivia Heaton (board) and Tiarrn Raymond (run) to win the Oceanwoman Relay.

The men’s surf race went to Ollie Signorini (Newport) to edged out Day while the beach sprint finals went to Olivia Eaton (Currumbin) and Jackson Symonds (Northcliffe).