Moodie makes strong comeback in surf series
Top New Zealand surf lifesaver Daniel Moodie made immediate improvement in round two of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman series at Kurrawa Beach, Queensland, today.
After finishing 20th in yesterday's first round of the lucrative A$250,000 ($312,000) series, Moodie climbed eight places to finish 12th in today's accumulator round.
Competitors raced in individual ski, board and swim events and their combined times were used to decide the handicap start in the deciding Ironman race, with the fastest competitor starting first.
Hawke's Bay 22-year-old Moodie, in his first season competing in the white-hot series environment, was pleased with his progress.
"It was definitely an improvement from yesterday and the more racing at this level I do, the more comfortable I'll become," Moodie said.
Moodie's Northcliffe clubmate and four-time series winner Shannon Eckstein gave another commanding performance as the podium placings from round one were repeated today.
Eckstein finished well clear of Hugh Dougherty (Tugun) and four-time Australian Ironman champion, Olympian Ky Hurst (Kurrawa).
Courtesy of wins in the board and ski races, Eckstein was first away, just one second ahead of Tugun's Sam Hamilton and nine seconds in front of Dougherty, while Hurst had to give Eckstein 16secs.
Tough enough to beat when he starts on level terms with his rivals, Eckstein seemed a racing certainty with his advantage on handicap and that's how the race turned out.
"It's an interesting format and it's hard to be the bunny out there in front," Eckstein said. "If you make no mistakes it's probably all right. I had a couple of looks around and they weren't really gaining on me so I swam fairly conservatively and had enough in the bag."
Three-time Coolangatta Gold winner Hayley Bateup showed age is no barrier in the women's final today, producing one of the most satisfying wins of her career just a week after turning 30.
Five-time series runner-up Kristyl Smith started from scratch in the Ironwoman final, followed by Bateup (3secs behind), Elizabeth Pluimers (18secs), round one winner Alicia Marriott (20secs) and defending champion Naomi Flood 21secs adrift.
Bateup's improved swimming ability kept her in the quest for victory before she chased Smith, Flood and Marriott in the transition to the final board leg, which saw Bateup make the most of the tricky conditions.
She was able to get the most out of a small wave as the leaders raced back to the beach and was on her feet quicker than her rivals to outsprint Smith and Marriott for a thrilling victory.
"It's good to win a Kellogg's race - at 30 I'm the oldest in there and it just shows that age isn't a barrier, it's how you feel and I feel great," Bateup said.
"I've said to myself I want to finish no worse than fourth in any race and I'd have been happy with a podium finish today but to win it I'm stoked."
Rounds three and four will be contested at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast on February 6-7, another top Kiwi surf star, 19-year-old Madison Boon, getting another chance to qualify the day before.