Defending champion chasing a breakthrough
SHE may be series champion and favourite to defend her title but Harriet Brown is still searching for an elusive NutriGrain ironwoman race win.
Brown was beaten in a sprint to the line by rising Kurrawa star Brielle Cooper at North Wollongong yesterday but retains the series lead after finishing in second place. The Northcliffe ironwoman seemed perfectly placed to break her duck yesterday, advancing straight to the final of the eliminator triple sprint after finishing in the top two in the opening race.
Brown led the final almost from start to finish and a win seemed a formality when she pulled over a wave on the final board leg. But after a desperate paddle, Cooper and Currumbin’s Karlee Nurthen also pulled on to the swell to ensure there would be a sprint finish.
“I had jelly legs at the end of that. I don’t think my running technique was up to scratch,” Brown said.
“It’s tough coming second when you’ve been leading for most of the race, it’s actually really tough but I felt good in that race and you’ve just got to out yourself in the best position you can and try and hang in there.
“But in the sprint finish Brielle got me, so good on her.”
The result will only spur the Victorian product on to be at her best in the next round at Fairhaven Beach on the Victorian surf coast.
Round 3 marked a recalibration point at which the six bestranked athletes not already qualified for finals earn direct entry in the final three rounds, with Cooper’s top of the list.
Danielle McKenzie (Northcliffe), Jemma Smith (Umina), Lana Rogers (Noosa), Lizzie Welborn (North Bondi) and Jordan Mercer (Noosa) will join her as automatic qualifiers.