Iron X is what SLSA heard
SURF Life Saving Australia has rejected claims that it failed to listen to elite athletes, insisting the decision to stage Iron X as a one-off exhibition event is in response to outrage from an initial proposal.
As revealed in Saturday’s Bulletin, Gold Coast powerhouse Northcliffe is among the clubs who claim the sport’s governing body went against the wishes of most in the surf lifesaving community by opting to stage the Iron X event.
SLSA held two separate forums in March this year, one on the Gold Coast and one in Sydney, in which it outlined intentions to include stand-up paddle boarding and CrossFitstyle obstacles in the NutriGrain iron series for 2019-20.
After most athletes and clubs voiced opposition to the changes, SLSA national sport manger Wayne Druery yesterday said the sport’s governing body listened to members’ feedback and decided to instead stage the standalone Iron X race.
“We laid out the proposal,” he said.
“We held two forums, one on the Gold Coast in April and one in our office.
“We settled on one trial event only which is completely separate from the professional series.”
Despite SLSA claiming it listened to the wishes of members, Newport’s Australian ironman champion Max Brooks said actions suggested otherwise.
“In the meetings they kept stressing to us how small their budget is and that they can’t put any more money into the Nutri-Grain series but then go and spend $100,000 in prizemoney and set up costs on one day,” he said.
“They can believe what they want to.
“If they were really listening they would have listened and dropped the idea instead of putting a ridiculous sum of money on one day.”
There is $25,000 on offer for the male and female winners of the January 27, 2020, Iron X event, $7000 more than the Coolangatta Gold prize and $5000 more than the Nutri-Grain series winner will receive.
“You feel hurt down,” Brooks said.
“It’s put everyone under a lot of stress.
“We dedicate our whole lives and I put university and a full-time job on hold to train only for our governing body tell us that our sport sucks and that we need to bring in novelty activities.” and let