Australian surf lifesaving superstar Shannon Eckstein signs an autograph for Sam Johnston, then 11, in a previous trip to Mount Maunganui in 2011. Photo / File
The packed junior surf lifesaving calendar has become even more congested with news one of the sport's foremost figures will be holding two ironman clinics in the Bay of Plenty early next year.
Multiple-time Australian and world champion Shannon Eckstein, named by the great Trevor Hendy as the "greatest ever
ironman" after claiming the seventh of his eight Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series titles, will hold a pair of clinics at the Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving club on January 16/17.
The clinics are a massive coup for the Bay of Plenty club, which will host Eckstein with the help of Dolphin Surf Craft NZ.
The January 16 clinic is for under-14s, with the following day set aside for older athletes.
The clinics run from 8.30am-3pm, with the cost of $75 to include lunch and a goodie pack, tips on ironman-specific training, teams events, nutrition, sports psychology and race strategies, recovery and technical tips for board paddling, swimming and transitions.