Aimee Berridge's year could become monumental

Aimee Berridge's eventful year could become monumental this weekend as the New Zealand ironwoman champion lines up a crack at the elite ranks in Australia.

Dramatic comebacks, unlikely triumphs and even a close encounter with a whale - the 20-year-old Sunshine Coast-based Kiwi has had it all. Now she hopes to qualify for the lucrative Kellogg's Nutrigrain Ironman series this weekend, becoming just the second New Zealand female to compete at that level, after Muriwai's Lucy Pengelly.

"I've stepped my swimming up and my fitness is the best it's been in a few years but also my mental toughness has increased, so I'm pretty excited," Berridge said.

"I missed out on the top-20 final by only a point last year but looking back now, I just wasn't fit enough. It would be an amazing dream come true to do it this year but I just want to have two awesome races on Saturday and then get myself a start on Sunday in the top-20. If I can do that, I'll be pumped!"

Berridge, who competes for the Mount Maunganui club, will be joined by New Zealand ironman champion Chris Moors (Red Beach) and a clutch of rising stars, like Wainui's Oliver Puddick, Omanu's Max Beattie, Lyall Bay's Tyler Maxwell, Mitchell Fagerstrom and East End's Daniel Nelson, who have based themselves across the Tasman this season.

Moors is hoping to take the mantle from five-time national champion Daniel Moodie and Mike Janes, who have both competed on the Kellogg's series in recent years but have been forced out by injury this season.

"It will be a very high quality field and I'm expecting it to be very tough," Moors, who made the top-20 in the trials last year but missed out on the first eight that qualified, said. "But in saying that, my training is going well and I would not be doing it if I didn't think I had a chance of making it."

Moors finished ninth in the iconic Coolangatta Gold last season and used his endurance base to telling effect, outlasting his rivals to win his first New Zealand title in Mount Maunganui.

But it was Berridge's ironwoman victory that surprised most supporters and especially herself, as she'd quit the sport last year and after a late comeback, had only six weeks training behind her.

"I still pinch myself over that - I can't believe I won the open title and a lot of things have changed for me since then," Berridge admitted. "My life changed that weekend and my thought process towards my training and racing did a total flip. I've never been so grateful for something in my life and I guess winning that title did a lot for my self esteem."

After changing her Aussie base from Kawana Waters to the Mooloolaba club, Berridge has trained with Michael King's elite squad and has picked up some impressive results over winter, including finishing third in the 4km board race at the Bilinga Ocean Classic, behind Australian stars Elizabeth Plumiers and Hayley Bateup.

But the most dramatic pick-up came last month during training when her board was smashed by a humpback whale while training 800m off Mooloolaba Beach.

"I wasn't even sure what had happened at first - it knocked me right off and I ended up 3m from my board. I remember looking down and seeing this humongous thing pass underneath me but I didn't even realise what happened at the time."

Luckily, Berridge was unhurt, though the freak close encounter left her with a story she will never forget.

More than 100 surf sports athletes will converge on Noosa Heads for the trials this weekend, with at least seven men's and women's positions in the full series up for grabs.