Moodie misses final as surf series kicks off

New Zealand surf lifesaving star Daniel Moodie had a fierce introduction to the white-hot Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman series at Kurrawa Beach, Queensland, today.
The 22-year-old dipped out in the first heat in the first round of the series against the top 20 surf athletes in the world, failing to make the top-15 that progressed through to the next round.
It's the first time a New Zealander has competed in the series since Lucy Pengelly in 2007, with Glenn Anderson the last Kiwi male a year earlier.
World champion and defending series title-holder Shannon Eckstein (Northcliffe) waltzed away in the final, winning by nearly 50m, but Moodie is in a positive frame of mind heading into the second round tomorrow.
"I will take a lot out of today, go home and have a think about it ­ then turn up tomorrow to turn it around," Moodie said. "I put everything into fighting for that top-15 spot, but I couldn't get the roll of the dice."
Moodie was aware how competitive the racing would be but came undone in the tricky half-metre Kurrawa surf.
"I was on the end of the line, got away well, then I looked over my shoulder and there was a group in the middle getting sucked out in a rip and they were already three board lengths ahead. When there are guys all as good as each other out there you can¹t be behind from the start."
Fellow Kiwi Madison Boon missed out on qualifying yesterday, though the Midway club member still has another chance before the third round early next month.....
Alicia Marriott won a lung-busting sprint to the finish in the women's final today, edging out reigning champion Naomi Flood in a thrilling start to the A$250,000 ($312,000) series. Marriott's endurance training, which brought her victory in the Coolangatta Gold race in October, proved decisive in the final of three races.
Eckstein headed home Hugh Dougherty (Tugun) and Olympic swimmer Ky Hurst, who made an impressive comeback to ironman racing.
After matching strokes with Hurst in the opening swim leg, Eckstein opened up a winning break in the board paddle and extended his lead in the ski leg to be able to cross the line unchallenged.
"There was a big build-up to today's race with Ky coming back and it was good to assert some sort of authority," Eckstein said.
"I felt good in that last race but you're never sure if you've got the legs or not. Mine felt good but it was hard."
Moodie, who trains with Eckstein at Northcliffe, believes his Australian clubmate is near-unbeatable in his current form.
"Shannon is just too good at the moment. He's in another league and he proved it today. You can't give Shannon anything, he gets 20m on the field and it's all over."