Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series

The 'Kellogg's Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series is a professional iron man and iron women racing series, born out of surf live saving.

Since the 2013/2014 season, the series has been televised on Channel 9's Wide World of Sports on Sundays, consecutive Sundays starting fro mid to late January.

Since moving to Channel 9, the series has been raced over 6 rounds at 3 destinations in search of bigger surf and more exciting racing. Such destinations have included:

• Smiths Beach in the Margaret River region of South West Western Australia;
• Newcastle Beach in Newcastle, New South Wales;
• North Cronulla Beach in Cronulla, New South Wales;
• Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland; and
• Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast of Queensland.

In the 2015/16 series, IronMan legend Shannon Eckstein won his 9th IronMan title^[1] whilst Jordan Mercer (daughter of IronMan legend Darren Mercer) won her maiden IronWoman title.^[2]

History

Professional ironman racing was born out of the movie The Coolangatta Gold which featured multiple Australian Ironman champion Grant Kenny and was won by Guy Leech. With significant media attention beginning to grow, Surf Life Saving Australia established the ‘Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Grand Prix’ in 1986. The aim of the series was to generate a high public profile and showcase for the sport, the athletes and the surf life saving movement.

Over the years the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series has evolved, testing and challenging athletes through different formats and styles of racing. While the Series has continued to evolve with varying formats, competitors and venues, one key element of IronMan and IronWoman racing has remained – the surf. The Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series puts Australia’s top multi-discipline athletes through their paces, forcing them to take on the best and worst mother nature has to throw at them.

For almost 30 years, Kellogg’s have partnered with Surf Life Saving Australia to deliver this sporting event that has not only produced some of Australia’s finest and fittest athletes, but has also helped drive membership for Surf Life Saving. The Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and IronWoman Series has grown to become the world’s elite surf sports competition and one of summer’s most iconic events – where only the best of the best have their chance to claim the prize pool, the glory and the prestige of being the crowned the Series Champion. It is survival of the fittest.

Formats

The Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series is contested over a various race formats which help to create an even playing field for the competitors.

Loop Format

Description: A continuous race over a conventional IronMan course, swim, board, ski and run. Each 'Loop' consists of one lap of each discipline. A race may consist of three Loops for men and two loops for women, depending on conditions and the course. The order of the disciplines in the race will vary depending on the event.

Eliminator

Description: An exciting three race format, where the last five finishers are knocked out and don't compete in the next race. Each race is a traditional race, on a shorter course, over the three disciplines. E.g. Race 1: 16 Competitors, 5 eliminated. Race 2: 11 Competitors, 5 eliminated. Race 3: Final 6 competitors. Points are awarded to all competitors in the finishing order.

M-Shape

Description: A continuous race over a modified course, where the competitors round 3 markers, two beyond the swell, and one on the beach. A race may consist of three loops for men and two for women, depending on conditions and the course.

Triple Sprint Pursuit

Description: Two conventional IronMan races with the combined points totals to determine handicap starting positions in a third race. The result of the third race determines the round placings. Introduced in Round 1 of the 2015/16 series at Coolum Beach.^[3]

Points

Since 2011/12, the following points awarded for each competitor per round were as follows:

Women's series results (top five)

In the 2010/11 series, Pluimers won four of the five rounds, but her 17th-place finish in the fourth round meant she finished second in the series, six points behind series winner Courtney Hancock.^[6]

Men's series results (top five)

See also

• The Coolangatta Gold
• Uncle Toby's Super Series

References

External links

• The Nutri-Grain Ironman/Ironwoman Series 2014/2015