Surf lifesaving: Moodie rips into sponsor hunt

Surf Lifesaving Hawke's Bay's favourite son, Dan Moodie, has chosen a week at home with Mum before embarking on another shot at becoming world ironman champion.
This week is the final leg of Moodie's off-season before beginning a hectic training and competition schedule in the buildup to Rescue 2012 in Adelaide.
Born and bred in Napier, Moodie, 23, now lives on the Gold Coast as he chases his dream of becoming a full-time professional ironman and the world champion. His first go at a world championship ironman crown came in 2010 in Egypt, where he fell one place short.
He won gold in the board race, but with the silver in the ironman and New Zealand finishing agonisingly close as runner up to Australia - there is plenty of unfinished business. Last weekend Moodie was in camp in Auckland with the New Zealand Surf Life Saving team, where the focus was on starting the journey which will see them through to Adelaide.
"It's my second New Zealand squad and from what I saw in Auckland I think we're going to be in a great position for the next world champs," said Moodie.
"We all have a lot to do, the Australians won't get any easier to beat, and I should know that because I train with a lot of the team on the Gold Coast, but we've got a talented team, so that's exciting."
Surf ironmen are considered to be among the fittest athletes on the planet, and it's no surprise considering the titanic amount of training they put in over four individual disciplines.
Moodie, who hopes to put a string of injuries that have hampered his last two seasons behind him, will start training again next week as he looks to first peak at the end of August for the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series trials in Noosa Heads.
There's also the challenge to try and find a major sponsor to help him with his dream. The amount of training required by professional ironmen to compete at the highest level is so intense these days that trying to juggle a fulltime job as well is almost impossible.
That's the reality for Moodie, however, so while home he is on the lookout for a major sponsor.
"I love Hawke's Bay, I love being an ironman and I'd love it if I could find a local sponsor to help me take on these Aussies," Moodie said.
"If there's anyone out there that'd love to help me beat the boys across the ditch, then it'd be great to hear from you."
Until then he's quite happy hanging out at home with his family, catching up with friends and digging into more than his fair share of mum Debbie's home cooking.
Tomorrow night Moodie will join the rugby pair of Zac Guildford and Israel Dagg, world champion shearer Cam Ferguson, rower Emma Twigg and cyclist Westley Gough as finalists for the Hawke's Bay Senior Sportsperson of the Year award.