Fresh off winning six medals at the Aussie IRB championships, Bailie Nash will now compete for State glory

After her team accidentally killed the motor of their inflatable rescue boat during round five of the Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Ocean Roar series in June, you could forgive Bailie Nash for never wanting to hop in an IRB ever again.

AFTER her team accidentally killed the motor of their inflatable rescue boat during round five of the Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Ocean Roar series in June, you could forgive Bailie Nash for never wanting to hop in an IRB ever again.

But the 19-year-olds response couldn’t have been much greater, with the Kirra surf life saving member taking out six gold medals at the IRB national championships in mid-July.

Bailie Nash and her crew at the Aussies in mid-July. Picture: Noel Clemson

Now Nash gets the chance to repeat her national heroics on home turf with the IRB State Championships set to kick off on Saturday at Bilinga.

Strangely, Kirra are already national champions are taking out the Aussies in mid-July but will now gun for State Glory after the State Championships were rescheduled due to unfavourable conditions at North Stradbroke Island in late June.

After making mistakes and errors earlier in the season, Nash believes that her club is well placed to repeat their Aussies dominance this weekend. \

FREAK ACCIDENT SIDELINES SURF LIFE SAVING’S BIGGEST NAME

“I think it does instil confidence, especially coming off a big win at the Aussies but no carnival is the same so we have to make sure we turn up and compete,” she said.

“Anything can happen but we just need to keep our consistency and confidence.

“Earlier in the year, we made a few errors and mistakes and we figured out that it was all mental.

“We decided just to let whatever happened happen and rely on our teammates because it’s such a team sport.”

After taking out three golds in the U23 IRB championships, Nash then backed up for her team and won three more in the open division across the Aussies weekend.

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Making the wins ever sweeter is that she got to do it alongside her partner Mark Sheldrick who won two gold and two bronze at the Aussies.

“I was on a bit of a high from the U23 wins and wanted to celebrate but I kept it together and we managed to add to the tally,” she said.

The Queensland IRB Championships kick off on Saturday at Bilinga..