Knocking on history’s door

Olivia Corrin, from the Dawson Building Midway and Northcliffe (Queensland) surf lifesaving clubs, became the first Kiwi woman to win a round of the Nutri-Grain Iron competition last month in Sydney. This weekend she will aim for a podium finish overall. Picture supplied

More history beckons for Olivia Corrin as she and fellow Gisborne surf lifesaver Cory Taylor line up this weekend for the final two rounds of the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series.

Corrin is well placed to make the top three women overall.

She is in second place on the leaderboard as she goes into the final two races of the women’s series, to be held at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast on Saturday and Sunday.

Corrin made Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Nutri-Grain Series history in Round 3 at Maroubra, Sydney, last month when she became the first New Zealand woman to win a round of the series.

Corrin said at the time it was the fulfilment of a childhood dream.

“It felt so sweet to hold it up like that,” she said of the moment she hoisted the finishing sash as she crossed the finish line.

“I had dreams going to sleep at night about how amazing it would feel to cross the line in first place, but nothing compares to the real thing.”

She goes into the final two rounds in second place overall on 82 points, 27 behind series leader Lana Rogers, and seven ahead of defending champion Georgia Miller. All three are members of the Northcliffe club.

Taylor goes into the final two rounds of the men’s series in 10th-equal position on 45 points.

On Saturday, Round 5 — called The Specialist — comprises four separate four-to-five-minute races, one for each discipline of swim, board, ski and run.

At the conclusion of the four races, the final IronMan/IronWoman race will be conducted with a staggered start starting from the finish arch.

The athlete ranked first after the four Specialist races will start on “go” with the remaining athletes then starting in sequence, according to their ranking.

Race 1 will be the run; Race 2, the swim; Race 3, board; Race 4 , ski; and Race 5, iron (ski, board and swim).

Round 6, on Sunday — called Survival — comprises three separate 12-minute iron races, starting with 20 competitors.

The last six finishers in each race are eliminated, until eight are left in the final race. A three-minute countdown is held between each race.

Race 1 will be swim, ski and board; Race 2, ski, board and swim; and Race 3, board, swim and ski.

The event can be watched live on Sky Sport NZ from 2pm on both days.