New Zealand’s Olivia Corrin and defending Nutri-Grain Ironman champion Matt Bevilacqua have strung together the perfect races to take out Round 3 of the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series at Maroubra Beach today.

It was an historic day for former Midway SLSC member Corrin, who became the first New Zealand Ironwoman to win a round of the Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series.

For Bevilacqua, it was the confidence boost he needed after a less than ideal start to the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series in Manly at the end of 2023.

The ever consistent Matt Bevilacqua has delivered another round win in stunning conditions at Sydney’s Maroubra Beach.

With a staggered start decided after two seeding races, the country’s top 20 ironmen made their way out into the surf one by one.

In the opening swim leg, the lead pack formed quickly, with Bevilacqua joined by Ben Carberry, Conner Maggs and Mitch Morris.

The top four men were neck and neck in the ski leg, before Carberry, Maggs and Morris all fell off the same wave as they made their way into the beach, opening up a gap for Bevilacqua.

It was the push along that he needed, making his way up the beach and into the board leg in first place.

The order of legs favoured Bevilacqua, who was able to extend his lead in his favourite leg on the board, to return to Maroubra Beach first.

Bevilacqua was able to share a celebration with his brother Joel and partner Brielle, before crossing the line in first place.

“I have just worked so hard, in round one the ninth really hurt and I didn’t sleep a wink that night and had a better round two. I felt good again today and you know in surf it is so unpredictable those wins are hard to come by,” he said.

Conditions played a huge factor in today’s competition, with Bevilacqua admitting it came down to the little things.

“It is brutal out there. It is really tricky, you have to get back on that bank on the way home and even then there are guys coming down waves with the whole field on them and you start again.

“I have been hanging out here [Maroubra beach] for the last few days and I saw the Tassie guys going out the left hand side. Studying the swell, you can do it for 24 hours and still learn something after that,” he said.

Olivia Corrin’s strong performances throughout the day saw the Gold Coast based Ironwoman go off on the start gun at the same time as Analise Kibble, pitting the two youngsters just ahead of defending Series champion Georgia Miller.

Corrin, known for her swimming, used the first swim leg to her advantage to hold her lead. But the Maroubra shorey, that had been causing carnage all day, saw her drop to the middle of the lead pack heading into the board.

She managed to keep within striking distance of Kibble who led out the board pack. The duo, together with round one winner Lana Rogers, jagged a wave close to home putting it as a run up the beach.

Corrin had the legs and the inside line to the beach, pushing her across the line to make Nutri-Grain Ironwoman history.

“It’s been a long time coming, and a childhood dream of mine ever since I can remember. Coming around that corner in a sprint finish and seeing the tape up, I just knew I had to grab it first. God it felt so sweet to hold it up like that,” said an elated Corrin.
“I had dreams going to sleep at night about how amazing it would feel to cross the line first place, but nothing compares to the real thing.

“Coming over to New Zealand, moving out of home at such a young age and I’ve just been working towards my goal for the past five years… for it to come to life is just unbelievable,” she said.

Round 4 of the Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series returns to Maroubra beach tomorrow Sunday 14 January from 1-3pm, live on SBS and Sky Sport New Zealand.