Family the priority as Eckstein makes himself unavailable for Australian lifesaving team

SURF lifesaving champion Shannon Eckstein has decided to put family first and end an era of national representation to spend time with his children.

Shannon Eckstein, wife Belinda and children Ellie, 3, and Blake. Picture: Luke Marsden.

SURF lifesaving champion Shannon Eckstein has decided to put family first and end an era of national representation to spend more time with his two children.

Eckstein made the difficult decision to make himself unavailable for selection for the Australian team for the lifesaving world championships to concentrate on his family and new position as director of coaching for Northcliffe, as well as give his body sufficient rest to prepare for a tilt at a 10th Nutri-Grain ironman series title next summer.

Australia now faces a changing of the guard at the September titles, with young guns Jordan Mercer and Dane Farrell to spearhead the charge.

Eckstein, 33, said he had mulled over the decision for much of the season and discussed it with Australian coach Danny Short, before calling him a couple of weeks ago to formally withdraw.

Eckstein will still take part in the championships in the Netherlands in individual races as a Northcliffe representative and hopes to win a sixth world ironman crown.

Shannon Eckstein celebrates winning the Nutri-Grain series for the 9th time as he crosses the line at Cronulla Beacha. Picture Gregg Porteous

But by sacrificing a place in the Australian team, he will be able to spend more time at home with wife Belinda and children Ellie, 3, and Blake, six months.

“The main reason is I’ve got a young family and just spending more time at home and concentrating on that and giving my body a bit more of a rest,’’ Eckstein said.

While I’m still racing (in the Nutri-Grain series) next year I do have a young family – two kids now.

“One was kind of hard but two’s just that little bit extra.

“To commit to the Australian team meant a couple of training camps, going to Europe a couple of weeks earlier than the Northcliffe team.

“I’m 33 now, so you’ve got to be realistic about what your body can take and accomplish.

“When I put myself in those Australian teams I train extra hard and put a lot of extra pressure on myself.

“I probably didn’t really want to go through that again.’’

Shannon Eckstein celebrates winning the Nutri-Grain series with his daughter Ellie at Cronulla Beach. Picture Gregg Porteous.

It was a difficult decision though, with Australia having lost the past two international titles to New Zealand with Eckstein keen to see the result reversed.

“It’s a young team coming through,” he said.

“They’ll definitely learn a lot this campaign. Whether they can beat the Kiwis, (I don’t know).

“But this young team don’t know about losing, so they can go out and put it all on the line and they’ll go well.’’