In the closest Nutri-Grain Ironman Series Final in recent years, Northcliffe’s Matt Bevilacqua  claimed his second Series crown at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast ahead of Ben Carberry (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park) and kiwi Joe Collins (Northcliffe).

Bevilacqua and Carberry came into today’s final round on equal points, with the duo knowing that whoever finished higher, would take out the Series crown and after three weekends and six rounds, it came down to the final wave and run up the beach.

After three “survival” format races it was Bevilacqua who had more gas in the tank, edging out Carberry in the sprint up the beach to cross the line in third place today, enough to secure the 2022/2023 Nutri-Grain Ironman Series crown.

Finn Askew (Surfers Paradise) won the sixth and final race of the Series ahead of kiwi Corey Taylor (Northcliffe), Bevilacqua and Carberry.

Having last won the Series crown in 2018, Bevilacqua said it was the greatest moment of his career.

“It feels awesome, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, I think it will sink in one day… it’s the greatest achievement of my life,” said Bevilacqua.

“That is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, that last leg [of the race] was so ridiculous, to drop down on the wave with Benny [Carberry] I was like ‘oh my god’.

“I’ve won a lot of individual races, but winning the Series was all that was on my mind coming into today and that last race. I knew what I had to do and that was to beat Benny… I didn’t even know where I came when I crossed the line, I just had my eye on the prize.

“I think this one is sweeter than my win five years ago, I’ve really grown as an Ironman.

“It’s such a deep Ironman field at the moment. There will be 20 good guys to beat at the Aussies, but that will just be another challenge,” he added.

 

OVERALL IRONMAN RESULTS

  1. BEVILACQUA, Matt (104 points); CARBERRY, Ben (103 points); 3. COLLINS, Joe (97 points); 4. TAYLOR, Cory (89 points); 5. ASKEW, Finn (85 points); 6. WILLIAMS, Cooper (73 points); 7. DAY, Ali (72 points); 8. FLETCHER, Corey (69 points); 9. MORRIS, Zach (64 points); 10. COLLINS, Daniel (61 points)

ROUND 6 IRONMAN RESULTS

1.ASKEW, Finn (Surfers Paradise); 2. TAYLOR, Cory (Northcliffe); 3. BEVILACQUA, Matt (Northcliffe); 4.  CARBERRY, Ben (Currumbin); 5. LOUIS, Kendrick (Manly); 6. MAGGS, Conner (Newport); 7. COLLINS, Joe (Northcliffe); 8. BORG, Jackson (Newport); 9. SCOTT, Thomas (Northcliffe); 10. MORRIS, Zach (Northcliffe)