Nutri-Grain ironwoman 2022/23 Manly: Georgia Miller’s emotional Rd 2 win, Lizzie Welborn takes Rd 1

She started the year with a broken heart and now this ironwoman has ended it with an emotional victory on a beach with special memories. Nutri-Grain ironwoman news, result wrap.

Georgia Miller winning at Manly Beach on Sunday. Pic: Supplied.

Last Christmas champion ironwoman Georgia Miller was slammed by Covid. A week or so later she was in hospital with heart issues.

Now, after a few more visits to various hospital, post viral fatigue and a hamstring injury just eight weeks ago, Georgia Miller is back on top of the world.

A third on Saturday and a glorious win in round two of the Nutri-Grain ironwoman racing on Sunday has put Miller in the series lead heading into January’s third and fourth rounds at Maroubra beach.

The big performance left the ironwoman, who grew up at Freshwater and now lives on the Gold Coast, both tearful and sentimental.

“It’s been such a rollercoaster year. I feel like crying’’ said Miller, who had to pull out of the Australian surf life saving team recently due to her leg injury.

Georgia Miller winning at Manly Beach on Sunday. Pic: Supplied.

“I am just so happy. I remember watching my coach Naomi Flood racing here. I was wearing a ‘Flood Warning’ T-shirt and cheering her on. I trained here with Floody and Candice Warner as well

“It’s pretty much a home beach for me and I have all my family here as well as my four week old niece Layla. It couldn’t be better.’’

Georgia Miller beat Lana Rogers in the sprint up the beach. Pic: Supplied.

Northcliffe’s Miller beat Alex Headland pair Lana Rogers and Tayla Halliday for the win at the end of three races where the bottom six were eliminated in each leg.

Round one winner Lizzie Welborn from Newport finish fourth, Tiarnee Massie from Maroochydore fifth, Hannah Sculley from Northcliffe was sixth, Harriet Brown from Northcliffe seventh, Lily O’Sullivan from Burleigh Head Mowbray Park was eighth, Brielle Cooper from Burleigh Head Mowbray Park was ninth and Lucy Derbyshire from Surfers Paradise was 10th.

Overall Miller leads from Welborn, Massie, Brown, Rogers and Olivia Corrin who finished second in Saturday’s opening round.

The ironwoman followed on from Newport’s Jackson Borg winning round two of the ironman.

Lizzie Welborn winning the opening round of the series. Pic: Supplied

HOW LIZZIE WELBORN WON ROUND ONE OF NUTRI-GRAIN IRONWOMAN

DEC 17: Lizzie Welborn had plenty to prove in the opening round of the Nutri-Grain ironwoman series at Manly - she just didn’t think she would have to overcome so much to do it.

But the Newport surf life saver - the only athletes based from NSW in the women’s series showed the rest of the field that you don't have to head north to Queensland to train and race to taste success in the premier surf life saving series.

In wild whitewater, Welborn overcame a flip off her ski, being knocked sideways in the churching water, loosing her race lead and then picking up a rivals craft accidentally to claim round one honours at Manly beach on Saturday.

It was an extraordinary end to a tough day out for Welborn who was “over the moon’’ with her success.

“Sometimes you just have to make your luck,’’ said Welborn, who won her sole round of the Nutri-Grain series as an 18-year-old.

Lizzie Welborn is the early series leader after her opening round win.

“I have been dreaming of winning this series since 2016 and I am in shock.

“It was crazy out there.’’

A rip, cool conditions, plenty of whitewater and race altering waves conspired against many athletes but Welborn managed to overcome them all to beat Olivia Corrin and Georgia Miller.

Top contenders Danielle McKenzie, Georgia Miller and Harriet Brown. Miller was the only one who made the podium in round one.

Miller, who hails from Manly, is one of numerous NSW athletes who moved north to the surf life saving hotspot of the Gold Coats to race, train and live a number of years ago.

Welborn has resisted the call north and proved on Saturday it is no barrier to success being outside the surf hub.

“I really wanted to show you can do it from here,’' she said.

The testing conditions saw multiple lead changes, damaged skies and numerous capzies in the women’s event.

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Originally published as Nutri-Grain ironwoman 2022/23 Manly: Georgia Miller’s emotional Rd 2 win, Lizzie Welborn takes Rd 1