Corrin qualifies again

Qualified: Olivia Corrin in the surf at Kingscliff, northern New South Wales, on her way to qualification for the Nutri-Grain Ironwoman competition. Pictures supplied

SURF LIFESAVING

GISBORNE surf lifeguard Olivia Corrin has qualified for the prestigious Nutri-Grain Ironwoman competition for the second year in a row.

The 20-year-old finished in the top eight in the elimination event held at Kingscliff in northern New South Wales at the weekend.

Corrin came through the first round of eliminations on Saturday in the top 20. The top eight in Sunday’s second round qualified for the main event.

She finished sixth, 15th and third in Sunday’s three “iron” races to finish eighth on points.

Corrin was the top qualifier last year — her first year in the Nutri-Grain competition.

“I’m stoked to get through to the Nutri-Grain again, especially with the high quality of young surf athletes who raced in the trials at the weekend,” Corrin said.

“I knew I had to go out hard to get into the top eight, and luckily it was a top eight this year, because last year only the top six in the qualifiers made it through.”

She said she was pleased with how she raced.

The three “irons” on Sunday comprised a board, ski and swim sprint event lasting about 10 minutes, another course lasting 15 minutes, and then a long course lasting 25 minutes.

“I took a lot of confidence out of the last race, where I finished third, knowing I could back up and go so well.”

Corrin competes for Dawson Building Midway in New Zealand and for Northcliffe on the Gold Coast.

She returned to Queensland in June to resume training after the Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand.

“It means I haven’t seen my mum and dad (Dave and Suzanne) for five months now, and that’s the longest I have been away from home.

“It’s difficult not having them there to comfort me.

“I know they want to get over here to see me as soon as the borders open again, which I am really looking forward to.”

Corrin finished 19th out of the 20-plus contestants in the women’s Nutri-Grain event last summer.

“My goal this summer is to work hard and improve.

“My aim is to make the top 10 to 12 this summer and thereby automatically qualify for next year’s competition.”

Close to 100 athletes in the men’s and women’s events battled it out across six races over the two days of qualifying last weekend.

The first two rounds of the Nutri-Grain will be at Kingscliff in NSW on December 19 and 20.

Rounds 3 and 4 will be on January 16 and 17 at North Cronulla, NSW.

Rounds 5 and 6, the final, will be on February 13 and 14 at Kurrawa in Queensland.

All rounds of the series will be broadcast live on Channel 9 in Australia.

A total of $200,000 will be on offer for the athletes — $100,000 for the men and $100,000 for the women — across the series.