Man of iron

GIZZY KIWIS: Gisborne’s Cory Taylor (pictured) Chris Dawson (see following picture in this gallery), Olivia Corrin and Briana Irving are set for the Lifesaving World Championships national open and youth team titles, which start in Adelaide tomorrow. Picture by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services

AFTER a punishing four rounds in the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series, and with two more to look forward to on his return next month, Gisborne athlete Cory Taylor was glad to be home for Christmas.

Before he left Australia he competed in three ironman events in one day.

“It is pretty intense but it makes you fitter,” said the Gold Coast-based Midway club member.

Only 18 men and 18 women compete in the elite, fiercely contested series. After two unsuccessful attempts over two-and-a-half years to qualify, Taylor made the 2015-2016 series.

It has been an eye-opener, he says. Taylor is there to do the job he has trained hard for, and does not get too excited about it, but he says it is surreal to hear his name called before an event.

“We wait in a tent and run out through a kind of chute and high-five the crowd. You’re competing at another level.

"There is no room for mistakes. Everyone is too good for you to make a mistake. There is definitely a tense atmosphere. It is a pretty massive event.”

Mistakes can be as simple as hopping off the surf ski too early or getting caught up in the cans — the line of floats at the turn.

The pressure is particularly intense for those at the top, Taylor says. “The person in the overall lead (surf lifesaving legend Shannon Eckstein) is now 32 years old.

“He has been doing this for about 15 years. Some people have been in it for 20 years so they have the experience.”

Although Taylor sits in 17th place, anything could happen in the two events at North Cronulla Beach next month.

“You can come around the cans last, pick up a wave and catch up. At this level, though, if you are ahead you are likely to stay ahead.”

Even while on a break from the series, Taylor trains twice a day.

“It is good to relax, though. Gisborne is beautiful to come back to.”