Champions of the surf reveal how Shannon Eckstein changed ironman racing forever

TWO of surf lifesaving’s champions say retiring great Shannon Eckstein has changed ironman racing forever and set a benchmark so high that will ensure generations of athletes continue to push the boundaries in the water.

TWO of surf lifesaving’s champions say retiring great Shannon Eckstein has changed ironman racing forever and set a benchmark so high that will ensure generations of athletes continue to push the boundaries in the water.

Eckstein will compete in his final Nutri-Grain Series race this Saturday at Wanda Beach, Sydney, in what will bring to a close his time in a series that he has won an unequalled nine times.

Ali Day, the 2014-15 Nutri-Grain title winner and current series leader, has raced Eckstein for 10 years during a career that also pitted him against other former legends Zane Holme and Ky Hurst.

Northcliffe's Shannon Eckstein competing in ironman heats of 2018 Australian surf lifesaving championships at Scarborough, WA. Photo: harvpix.com

Day said there was no question Eckstein, 35, was the greatest and said the man labelled ‘the professor’ brought a tactical edge to racing that made it impossible for his rivals to have a weak leg.

“The transitions were a big part of what he brought to the sport and ultra-professionalism,” Day said.

“They don’t call him ‘the professor’ for no reason. He was 99, if not 100 per cent, good at every discipline.

“He could race in any conditions. For anyone to get close to him they had to step up their game and he kept stepping up his too.

“He is definitely the greatest. Seeing how consistent he has been day-to-day and race-to-race - I have never seen him have a bad day.

“What I like about him is that he never used an excuse. Whether it be a format, injury or the conditions, I liked the way he has put his hand up and had a crack.”

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Cooper, the 19-year-old reigning ironwoman champion, said Eckstein had proven you can reach the pinnacle of the sport at any age.

“Shannon has been racing longer than I have been alive,” Cooper said.

“Shannon is so smart, so tactical and thinks about everything and that’s what he brought to racing.

“That’s something I want to focus on. I want to be the fastest racer but you also want to be the smartest.

“He has taught us how critical that is in racing.”