Jordan Mercer believes she can still win ironwoman crown despite seeing her lead reduced

IRONWOMAN series leader Jordan Mercer says she has to “sort herself out’’ before next month’s season-ending races in Cronulla if she’s to win a maiden Nutri-Grain crown.

Sydney's Kirsty Higgison wins round 4 of the Women's Nutri-Grain Ironwomen's Series at Newcastle Beach. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

IRONWOMAN series leader Jordan Mercer says she has to “sort herself out’’ before next month’s season-ending races in Cronulla if she’s to win a maiden Nutri-Grain crown.

Mercer finished 10th in Sunday’s round four race at Newcastle, the result decimating her series lead after NSW South Coast product Kirsty Higgison won to close within three points of her Noosa clubmate.

The 22-year-old was devastated immediately after the race but still believes she has the ability to win the series.

“I can’t believe (I’m still in the lead),’’ Mercer said.

“I don’t know how that’s possible, I thought I’d thrown it away.

“It’s nice to know I’m back in there with a shot.

“It’s not going to be easy. I”m going to have to re-evaluate things and sort myself out.’’

Mercer started the weekend with a six-point lead over Liz Pluimers, with Harriet Brown and Brodie Moir locked in third.

Pluimers did not race at the weekend due to injury and while Brown was fourth on Saturday, she slipped to 14th yesterday to fall to sixth in the series, while Moir had a 10th and sixth over the weekend to slide down to fifth overall.

Higgison was a surprise winner of the opening race of the series in Coolum but showed the result was no fluke when she converted a big lead in the endurance format into victory over a fast-finishing Maddy Dunn.

“I did not think there would be an option to be up front in the races,’’ Higgison said of her maiden series.

Action from round 4 of the Women's Nutri-Grain Ironwomen's Series at Newcastle Beach on Sunday.

“I just thought I’d be scratching to requalify to be honest.

“I just tried so hard for so long to crack the series and I think all that hard work and knock-backs really gave me the drive to try and achieve this and for it to happen first series is just beyond what I could have imagined.

“I’d always dreamt for it to happen, I’d always trained so hard hoping that it would but you never really (believe it will).

“You’ve got to believe in yourself and be confident, but to come away and make it happen is just unbelievable.’’

A former Australian junior kayak representative, Higgison made a decisive break on the final ski leg and held it through the swim and board despite pressure from Northcliffe’s Dunn, who caught a wave out the back to almost cause a sprint finish.

“I’m now in the mix (for the series),’’ Higgison said.

“I think I keep doing what I’ve always been doing.

“I just put my head down and keep working hard and try and just enjoy it as much as I can, don’t put any pressure on myself.’’

Higgison puts much of her improvement down to a switch to Noosa, where she trains alongside Mercer under former ironman champ Darren Mercer.

“It’s so good, I’m so thankful to (Darren Mercer),’’ Higgison said.

“To move up there and train with Jordie as well, she’s just so driven and so good to work with someone who wants something that I do as well and is positive about it.

“It’s so unbelievable what we’ve got up in Noosa at the moment.’’

Dunn too is a series contender after her second placing moved her to third place in the series just four points behind Mercer.

“The places will change again for sure with Liz coming back. She’ll be the one to look out for I guess,” Dunn said.

“It’s anyone’s I guess. If Jordie did well today she could have wrapped the series up but she was very unlucky out there.

“So it’s wide open now.’’