New Zealand ironman champion Daniel Moodie will measure his progress against the best surf lifesavers in Australia this weekend when he makes his debut in the lucrative Kellogg's series at Kurrawa Beach in Queensland.
The Hawkes Bay star may also be joined by fellow New Zealander Madison Boon, who is
trying to qualify after organisers scrapped the wildcard system.
Boon finished one spot outside the qualifying mark at the trials in December and, if she gets through, would need to back up for the first two rounds of the series today and tomorrow.
Moodie had no such worries, but said he was anxious to perform as the first New Zealand male to compete in the series in four years. "I'm hoping I'll be the first of many more Kiwis competing here, after guys like Cory Hutchings and Glenn Anderson showed the way," Moodie said.
"Being my first series, I really don't know what to expect. I'll be taking things as they come but I feel really good, a lot better than last year when I had trained so hard in the off-season."
Muriwai's Lucy Pengelly was the last New Zealander to compete in the series in 2007, with Anderson completing the last of his three seasons in 2006.
The new-look Kellogg's Nutri-Grain series, with A$250,000 ($312,000) in prizemoney on offer, begins with a "Dash For Cash" today and one of Moodie's training partners at the Northcliffe club looms as the hot favourite - four-time series champion Shannon Eckstein.
The 22-year-old warmed up for his series tilt with a classy second in the ironman final of the Oceans 38 surf carnival at North Burleigh on the Gold Coast tomorrow.
Boon, meanwhile, had a frustrating final hit-out as she recovers from a bout of bronchitis. A minor car accident the day before unsettled the 19-year-old and she finished one place off making the ironman final at North Burleigh.
- NZPA
