Bella Williams (Swansea-Belmont) and Adam Palmer (Maroochydore) and have taken out Round two of the Nutri-Grain Next-Gen Series in flat conditions at Kingscliff NSW today.

Williams is placed equal first and Palmer third heading into tomorrow’s final round, with the overall winners earning a place in the 2021/22 Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series.

Competing as a curtain raiser to the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series, the Next Gen competitors competed in the Specialist format which comprised of five races – individual run, board, swim and ski races with a four minute break in between.

Points allocated from the individual races determined the starting order for the traditional iron final where competitors started the final race at two second intervals.

Williams, 17, finished second in the run, second in the board, first in the swim and fourth in the ski to see her start second in the final ironman getting the better start from Lucy Derbyshire (Northcliff) who started two seconds ahead of her, to lead the whole race. Derbyshire finished second with Manly’s Madison Ward third – the same top three from round one.

“It was really tough, I knew the specialist was going to be difficult, I haven’t been training for that format of an iron and that run at the start that burnt me,” said Williams.

“I knew that I needed to regather myself and do it one race at a time and then the big one at the end with the IronWoman.

“She (Lucy) fell off her board at the start of the iron so that changed my whole race plan at the start and I had to adapt. It meant I was then leading and I towed the girls around and then I got that wave on the board that spread me apart and from then on I just knew that I had to maintain and keep that pace at the same level.”

Palmer,18, finished third in the run, second in the board, third in the swim, sixth in the ski with his consistent results earning him the opportunity to start off first for the final ironman race, which he led from start to finish. William’s cousin Kye Taylor (Swansea-Belmont) finished second and round one winner Nathan Jaye (Wanda) third.

“That was a tough race with all the boys out there, we’ve got a tough competition in the 19s so it’s good to come out on top,” said Palmer.

“Coming off the first round I wasn’t really expecting much, definitely to come in the top five was good but to come first in this one, it’s just surreal you know, you don’t get that feeling anywhere else.

“The Specialist format, when I heard about it I was really excited. To come with the individuals, I just thought I had to get a good lead in each of them, and come consistent top 3 in each to get a good lead going into that last iron.

“I didn’t look behind, I just had to go for it. But to come off first, they’re all chasing me and I just had to go for it from the start.

“Definitely just go back and recover, get ready for tomorrow and come in with a good mindset and I should be good.”

Heading into the final round tomorrow, Williams and Derbyshire are placed equal first with Ward in third, three points behind in the women’s, while Jay and Taylor are equal first heading into the men’s competition with Adam Palmer two points behind in third.

The male and female athletes with the lowest points at the end of the three rounds are granted a spot into the 2021/21 Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series.

Round three of the Nutri-Grain Next Gen will take place tomorrow and act as curtain raiser to the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series.

Tune in on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 March 2021 for the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series, 12-2pm on Channel 9.

For the full results from today and current leader board click here.