OVERVIEW

Male series winner: Kendrick Louis

Female series winner: Lana Rogers

Round one Coolangatta Gold winners: Lana Rogers and Matt Bevilacqua

Round two winners: Lana Rogers and Matt Poole

Round three winners: Lana Rogers and Luke Cuff

Round four winners: Georgia Miller and Cory Taylor

Round five winners: Harriet Brown and Matt Bevilacqua

THE HIGHLIGHT

Bleeding profusely from his knee just 24 hours after checking out of hospital, Matt Poole proved in round four at Surfers Paradise why they call them ironmen. The Kurrawa athlete’s bravery to battle surgery and a golden staph infection was one of the defining moments of the season, even if he finished 16th and was forced back into the operating theatre within hours of racing. It would also be remiss not to mention Lana Rogers’ stirring Coolangatta Gold win where she managed to chase down Umina’s Jemma Smith in the dying stages of the race and claim her maiden title.

THE LOWLIGHT

Aspiring ironwoman Greta Petersen being pulled from the water at Burleigh during the Coolangatta Gold swim leg reminded us all of the rigour our athletes undergo when they race. Petersen was swimming just off Burleigh when she reported feeling unwell and was pulled from the water and taken to shore where she lost consciousness. Luckily, Petersen made a full recovery.

THE STAR

Two round wins, including his maiden title in the treacherous Coolangatta Gold, was enough to see Matt Bevilacqua finish second overall in the series. Although he was self-admittedly inconsistent in between, the man from Tasmania had a memorable season and still came within five points of his second series title.

MR/MRS CONSISTENT

Georgia Miller was the epitome of consistency in the summer after her maiden Nutri-Grain series crown. The 23-year-old won round four at Surfers Paradise and finished on the podium two other times in round three and five. In the other two rounds, the Northcliffe athlete finished fourth, guaranteeing a top five finish in every single round. Lana Rogers is the only

other athlete to have achieved the same feat this summer.

RISING STAR

After falling out of love with surf life saving, Jy Timperley’s extended break from the sport last year paid dividends. The 20-year-old Currumbin Viking emerged as one of the big surprises of the series and was a mathematical chance to win the title heading into the final round following a season high finish of fourth in the Coolangatta Gold as well as sixth in round two and seventh in round four. He has proven he can go with the best.

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TALKING POINT

Arguably the biggest story of the season came when surf life saving veteran and three time series winner Courtney Hancock decided to switch clubs from Northcliffe to Surfers Paradise midway through the Nutri-Grain series. Hancock has competed under the maroon star since she was a teenager after moving to the Gold Coast from Coffs Harbour. The 31-year-old expressed excitement about the opportunity to commence the twilight of her career in a fresh environment but the move attracted disappointment from Northcliffe who were forced to let go of one of their stars in December.