Young Guns impress in inaugural Nutri-Grain Next Gen

The inaugural Nutri-Grain Next-Gen kicked off in Kingscliff, NSW today with 47 of the countries most talented rising iron athletes putting their foot on the line to vie for a coveted spot in the 2021/22 Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series.

Competing as a curtain raiser to the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series, the U19 Men competed in two short iron races with the best 10 from each heading through to a 40-minute M-Shape EnduroSurf final. While the U19 Women competed in a straight out final in the M-Shape EnduroSurf to put the first points of the series on the board.

Swansea Belmont’s Bella Williams was on track to repeat Champion IronWoman Lana Rogers performance in the exact same format from day one, leading the U19 women for most of the EnduroSurf.

However, it was BMD Northcliffe’s Lucy Derbyshire who ultimately took out the top spot ahead of Williams, the pair neck in neck for the second lap of the M-Shape, and Derbyshire claiming bragging rights in the Round 1.

“I know there are two more rounds but it feels great to take out the first round. Bella and I have always gone for it and she’s always up there,” Derbyshire said.

Originally from Glenelg in South Australia, Derbyshire moved to the Gold Coast two years ago to pursue better surf, more sun and ultimately a career in the Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series.

“I came up here from Glenelg for better surf and a better lifestyle. Living in Bay Glenelg there’s not much surf at all, so coming up here to Northcliffe and big waves was definitely different,” she said.

“It would be amazing if I could eventually get in the series and it’s definitely a dream of mine.”

The U19 Men’s was largely a race in three with Wanda SLSC’s Nathan Jay holding the lead for the majority of the race and was set for a sprint finish with Swansea Belmont’s Kye Taylor before Taylor tripped on his Ski paddle enabling Jay to sprint ahead and claim the victory.

“It was hard competition and hard racing but it was amazing to take it out,” Jay said.

“I didn’t quite realise that that he (Kye) tripped but when I didn’t see him in my peripheral vision I was pretty happy.”

Swansea Belmont SLSC cousins Bella Williams and Kye Taylor both took home Silver medals in the first round with Williams gushing about the new initiative and the chance to claim her dream of being a Nutri-Grain IronWoman.

“The first iron, swim, board, ski, really hurt and after that I had to re gather myself and see if anything had changed, any new rips of anything but it was really tough,” Williams said.

“It would mean the world to make the series. I have had the Nutri Grain series on my dream board since I was young and the ultimate dream is to wear those pink togs.

“Having the opportunity to race the way the Nutri Grain guys do is just amazing and a great opportunity for us girls.”

After watching his cousin make a stamp on the competition , Kye said he was motivated to give it his all and leave nothing out in the surf.

“It is awesome, I was really inspired by Bella’s effort, she led pretty much the whole thing and just got a bit unlucky at the finish,” Kye said of cousin Bella.

“When I heard what today’s format was I was pretty excited as we do a lot of long distance training and I thought it would suit me well.”

BMD Northcliff’s Auden Parish came in third in the U19 Men’s while Manly LSC’s Maddie Ward took the Bronze in the Women’s.

Lucy Derbyshire and Nathan Jay now both sit on one point, while Bella Williams and Kye Taylor with two points each, with the athlete with the lowest points at the end of the three rounds granted a spot into the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series.

Round two and three of the Nutri-Grain Next Gen will take place in two weekends time and act as curtain raisers to the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series on Saturday and Sunday 27-28 February in Kingscliff.

Tune in on Sunday 14 February 2021 for the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series, 12-2pm on 9GO!

For the full results from today and current leader board see below.