In the 2020/21 Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series there were fourteen series debutants across the 2021/21 series with five athletes making it into the top 10, ushering in a new generation of Ironmen and Ironwomen proving the future of iron racing is in safe hands.
Nutri-Grain IronMan Series debutants
Joe Collins
Overall place – 3rd
Age – 18
Best Round – Round Two (Super Sprint)
The young Kiwi came out of the gates flying in his first Nutri-Grain IronMan Series proving that his move to the Gold Coast last year was well and truly worth it, making the overall podium in his debut series. Consistently placing in the top seven across all six rounds, Collins received his best result in the Round Two Super Sprint where he claimed Bronze. Collins has pegged himself as one to keep an eye on in years and series to come.
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Zach Morris
Overall Place – 8th
Age – 18
Best Round – Round Three (Survival)
While Morris had his first taste of the Iron Series in a late call up to the 2019/20 season, the Newport young gun qualified for his first Nutri-Grain IronMan Series in 2020/21 and made his way onto the podium by the end of the first weekend with a Bronze medal in the Survival format on Sunday 14 Feb showing he has the strength to go the distance with the big leagues. Morris has set the bar high in his first full series hit out.
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Wes Gould
Overall Place – 11th
Age – 22
Best Round – Round One (EnduroSurf)
Despite getting a call up to the Coolangatta Gold Round One of the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series in 2019, the Western Australia product came into his debut series as a Wild Card and proved he could mix it with the best in his debut of the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series. Having only moved to the Gold Coast in early 2020 from WA to pursue his IronMAn dream, we expect to see a lot more of Gould.
Finn Askew
Overall Place – 12th
Age – 19
Best Round – Round Two (Super Sprint)
Askew was another who had his first taste of the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series with a call up to the Round One Coolangatta Gold in the 2019/20 Series but qualified in 2020/21 for a full spot. Askew a small-town kid from the NSW’s Mid North Coast, certainly proved he has the strength, the guts and grit to race with the biggest and best.
Isaac Smith
Overall Place – 16th
Age – 22
Best Round – Round Three (Survival)
Chasing his dream of being a professional Ironman in the Nutri-Grain Series, Smith was granted a Wild Card position where he competed in his debut Nutri-Grain IronMan Series in 2020/21. After a few years struggling with illness, Smith was in fighting form competing with the best.
Charlie Verco
Overall Place – 19th
Age – 19
Best Round – Round Three (EnduroSurf)
Coming in as a late call up to replace Tanyn Lyndon, the young North Bondi ironman shot out of the gates and claimed a top ten finish in his debut Nutri-Grain Ironman race, the gruelling EnduroSurf format in Round Four. Despite only competing in three rounds, Verco still sits within the top 20 finishers. We have definitely not seen the last of Charlie Verco.
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Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series debutantes
Tiarnee Massie
Overall Place – 5th
Age – 19
Best Round – Round One (EnduroSurf) and Round Six (Survival)
Massie has had athletes of the Nutri-Grain series previously, under different formats and getting a late call up to replace athletes but this year was granted a permanent spot in the 2020/21 Series as a Wild Card. Finishing in the top six for four out of six races Massie has proven she has the ability to push the top Ironwomen in the Nutri-Grain Series.
Emma Woods
Overall Place– 6th
Age – 18
Best Round – Round One (EnduroSurf)
In her debut race for the Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series, Woods set a strong expectation as she finished on the podium in her first ever professional ace, in the gruelling EnduroSurf no less. Finishing inside the top 10 in four of six races meant that the debutant secured a sixth overall, an incredible feat for her first hit out.
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Tayla Halliday
Overall Place – 8th
Age – 17
Best Round – Round Five (Specialist) and Round Six (Survival)
Halliday burst onto the IronWoman scene in 2019/20 series when she was given a late call up to debut in her first IronWoman Series and placed fourth! In 2020/21 she qualified for her first entire Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series and went from strength to strength to come out in the top 10 with an eighth overall.
Carla Papac
Overall Place– 16th
Age – 22
Best Round – Round Three (Survival)
After he first call up to compete in the gruelling Coolangatta Gold in Round One of the 2019/20 Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series where she placed seventh, Papac was determined to qualify for her first professional Series. In 2020/21 Papac qualified for her first entire Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series and had consistent results across all six rounds with he best performance in the Round three survival.
Emily Doyle
Overall Placing – 17th
Age – 19
Best Round – Round Five (Specialist)
While Doyle got her first call up to the Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series in 2019/20season, she went on to qualify and secure her sport in the 202/21 Series. Thew Newport young gun maintained consistent results across all six rounds with her best finish in Round Five with a twelfth place.
Charlotte Cross
Overall Place – 19th
Age – 16
Best Round – Round Six (Survival)
Gold Coast local and young Gun Charlotte Cross received a late call up to replace Olivia Corrin due to injury and snagged a chance to make her Iron Series debut at 16 years old. The youngest in the field, Cross only raced in three rounds but placed inside the top 20 with a 19th overall.
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Jayde Hardstaff
Overall Place – 20th
Age – 24
Best Round – Round Six (Survival)
Hardstaff debuted in her first Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series race in 2018, and again got a call up to join the gruelling Coolangatta Gold in Round One of the 2019/20 Series. In 2020/21 Hardstaff again got a late call up to replace Tiarrn Raymond in what was Hardstaff first entire Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series.
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Lucy Derbyshire
Overall Place – 22nd
Age – 17
Best Round – Round Six (Survival)
On Sunday 28 February, Derbyshire raced in Round three of the U19 Nutri-Grain Next Gen and later that day raced in her series debut of the Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series. Derbyshire competed in all rounds of the U19 Nutri-Grain Next Gen and won the overall competition securing automatic qualification into 2021/22 IronWoman Series but a very late call up in replacement of Harriet Brown who was injured meant she got to race in her series debut later that same day.
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