Currumbin’s Elizabeth Forsyth wins Aussies sprint title to add to Stawell Gift triumph

ELIZABETH Forsyth has added an exclamation point to an already stunning season, adding an Aussies title to her Stawell Gift championship.

ELIZABETH Forsyth has added an exclamation point to an already stunning season, adding an Aussies title on the sand to her Stawell Gift championship to underline her status as one of the fastest women in Australia.

The Currumbin sprinter beat Kurrawa’s Bree Masters home to take the title in an emotional win she did not expect.

“I’m definitely super, super excited, I did not expect that at all,” Forsyth said.

“This is just an amazing season for me and it seems like the highs just keep on coming.

“Coming off Stawell, I felt a little flat for a week and I’ve started to build in the past two or so weeks after that so I’m just really happy that it’s all come together.”

The victory is another feather in the cap of Vikings coach Brett Robinson, who also placed Murray Goodwin on the Commonwealth Games team and has coached two previous Stawell winners.

“He’s just a phenomenal coach and I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for me and the rest of the squad, they’re all amazing to train with and we have such an epic group up there and I couldn’t be happier to be there,” Forsyth said.

Sprinter Elizabeth Forsyth from Queensland celebrates with the winners trophy, after winning the 2018 Women's Stawell Gift. Photo: AAP

Jackson Simmonds from Sorrento won a third consecutive sprint title — and his fourth overall — becoming the first since Nick Yakich of North Narabeen (1962-65) to snare the championship four times.

Simmonds was also the first since Callum Taylor (1996-98) to win three in a row and can become the first in history to win five if successful again next season.

The final was one of the few held yesterday as preliminary events and quarter and semi-finals were packed into the schedule ahead of Super Saturday.

With gale force winds, rain and big swells expected in Perth on Sunday, organisers have shifted events forward almost 24 hours to finish on Saturday.

Harriet Brown won the restricted surf race yesterday, while clubmates Maddy Dunn and Grace Rosato just missed out on a title in the board rescue after being pipped in a photo finish by Manly’s Taylar Puskaric and Alexandra Fleming.

Harriet Brown won the restricted surf race and is among the favourites for Saturday’s ironwoman title. Picture: Jerad Williams

Brown lines up as one of the favourites in today’s ironwoman final in a field dominated by Gold Coasters.

Northcliffe clubmates Dunn and Courtney Hancock are also among the favourites, while Kurrawa’s Rebecca Creedy — the defending champion after the event was not held last year — will attempt to add to her haul of two titles.