After two days of gruelling racing at the Trial, presented by Race One Surf Craft, the final spots in the Shaw and Partners Iron Series have been decided, with plenty of fresh faces joining the ranks.
Nine debutants have secured their spot in the Shaw and Partners Iron Series, alongside some experienced heads returning, joining the last year’s season qualifiers to make a field of the top 28 Ironmen and 28 Ironwomen for the 2025-2026 season.
15 Ironmen and 15 Ironwomen today qualified for the Shaw and Partners Iron Series that will feature the sport’s legends including five time Series Ironman champion Ali Day, three time series Ironwoman winner Lana Rogers as well as defending champions Conner Maggs and Lucy Derbyshire.
Among the debutants is Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park’s Ironwoman Charlotte Hart, who moved to Australia 10 years ago from England and joined nippers.
The 19-year-old said she’s been dreaming of making the series for such a long time and after missing the Series last year, she was determined this was her year for redemption.
“It feels amazing. The goal coming into today was to certainly have a good first race, the endurance races are definitely my best races especially with the run at the start.
“I started at Burleigh Heads Surf Club when I was in under 10’s and I’ve been there the whole way through. We moved from England 10 years ago and our parents wanted us to do nippers so we could be safe in the water.
“I just loved nippers and here we are, 10 years later, still going strong.
“I’ve always dreamed of being in the Iron Series. Last year was my first year trialling, I didn’t make it to the Sunday – so this year my first goal was to make it to the Sunday, and once I made it, see what I could do. Now here I am, qualified into the Series,” she said.
Fellow Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park teammate Auden Parish also took out the endurance race to book his place in the Series again.
“It has been a pretty long off season for me. I went over to America for a few weeks, did some solo training over there. It was tough but it was good to be in my own head and to work on stuff I need to work on.
“Then I came back to the Gold Coast and uniting with Kingy [Michael King] and the squad really helped me get to that next level.
“There are a bunch of good guys and girls coming through the ranks… I’m still pretty young but I’m still learning from Kingy and the boys.
“My goals this season are just to survive the Gold and then just go for it in the rest of it,” he said.
Athletes will now have four weeks to prepare for the new Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold 25.6, which will form an important part of the Iron Series.
With maximum Series points on offer during the Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold 25.6, the top Australian Ironmen and Ironwomen will all be taking part.
Click here to watch Day 2 of the 2025 Shaw and Partners Iron Series Trial, presented by Race One.
RESULTS
Ironwoman Qualifiers
1. Charlotte Hart (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
2. Lily O’Sullivan (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
3. Piper Harrison (Newport)
4. Bianca Rayward (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
5. Dominique Stitt (Mooloolaba)
6. Tayla Halliday (Alexandra Headland)
7. Cyra Bender (Northcliffe)
8. Bella Williams (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
9. Emily-Louise Doyle (Northcliffe)
10. Gemma Smith-Welch (Northcliffe)
11.Hannah Sculley (Northcliffe)
12. Claudia Kelly (Northcliffe)
13. Chelsea Wood (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
14. Pipi Te Pania (Newport)
15. Dakota Luke (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
Ironman Qualifiers
1. Auden Parish (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
2. Noah Steiner (Wanda)
3. Jackson Borg (Newport)
4. Charlie Verco (Newport)
5. Sean Rielly (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
6. Henry Simpson (Alexandra Headland)
7. Nathan Jay (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
8. Kai Harland (Northcliffe)
9. Corey Fletcher (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
10. Daniel Collins (Redhead)
11. Texas Dixon (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
12. Kye Taylor (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park)
13. Max Beattie (Surfers Paradise)
14. Cooper Williams (Alexandra Headland)
15. Campbell Asher (Alexandra Headland)