Iron X: Surf life saving’s leading athletes continue to protest Iron X

The surf life saving community continues to band together in the face of change with a number of the sport’s leading athletes protesting the Iron X exhibition event held at Mooloolaba Beach yesterday.

THE surf life saving community continues to band together in the face of change with a number of the sport’s leading athletes protesting the Iron X exhibition event held at Mooloolaba Beach yesterday.

‘OUR VIEWS HAVEN’T CHANGED:’ CLUBS HOPING FOR IRON XTRAORDINARY FLOP

The Iron X event, which combines traditional iron racing with stand up paddleboarding, Cross-Fit style beach exercises and underwater swimming divided the surf sports community and led to many athletes, coaches and surf clubs voicing opposition to the event’s inclusion into the summer racing calendar.

A group of surf life saving's biggest names pose together on the shores of Maroochydore in protest of the controversial Iron X event. SUPPLIED

Several high profile athletes opted out of the controversial event, despite lucrative prize money, instead competing in the Maroochydore Classic surf carnival over the weekend.

Following racing on Sunday afternoon, several high profile athletes, including Nutri-Grain series winner Lana Rogers, Georgia Miller, Matt Poole, Matt Bevilaqua, Brielle Cooper, and Harriet Brown all combined to pose for a photo on the shore of Maroochydore which a handful of athletes have posted on social media accompanied by the hashtags #justsurfsports, #bettertogether, and #swimboardskiforme.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF SURF’S UGLIEST FEUD

In an Instagram post, 2018/19 series winner Georgia Miller begged Surf Life Saving Australia to grow, not ‘destroy’ the sport.

“It takes courage and sacrifice to stand up for what you believe in,” she wrote.

“We are standing together to show that IronX is not true surf sports.

“I, along with many other professional ironwomen and men, officials, nippers and youth, coaches and Surf Life Saving Clubs have banded together to try and stand up for an incredible sport that is embedded with tradition.”

2016/17 series winner Harriet Brown was another to repost the image.

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“Together we share so much passion for one of the most iconic sports in Australia,” she wrote.

“Currently our sport is under threat.

“Despite very large incentives, we chose to band together and stand up for what we believe in.”

A group of surf life saving's leading athletes pose at Maroochydore in protest of Iron X. SUPPLIED.

Series champion Lana Rogers, Newport athlete Lizzie Welborn, Kurrawa’s Matt Bevilacqua and Northcliffe product Maddy Dunn are others who have taken to social media to voice their opinions on Iron X.

It’s believed Surf Life Saving Australia intends to persevere with the controversial format and stage a second edition of Iron X next summer.