Stars stand up for tradition
THE surf lifesaving community continues to band together in the face of change with some of the sport’s leading athletes protesting against the Iron X exhibition event.
Several high-profile athletes opted out of the controversial event, held at Mooloolaba yesterday, despite lucrative prizemoney.
Instead they competed in the Maroochydore Classic surf carnival over the weekend.
Following racing on Sunday, athletes including NutriGrain series winner Lana Rogers, Georgia Miller, Matt Poole, Matt Bevilacqua, Brielle Cooper and Harriet Brown posed for a photo on the shore of Maroochydore which a handful of athletes have posted on social media accompanied by the hashtags #justsurfsports, #bettertogether and #swimboardskiforme.
In an Instagram post, 2018-19 ironwoman series winner Miller begged Surf Life Saving Australia to grow, not “destroy’’ the sport.
“It takes courage and sacrifice to stand up for what you believe in,” she wrote.
“We are standing together to show that Iron X is not true surf sports.
“I, along with many other professional ironwomen and men, officials, Nippers and youth, coaches and surf lifesaving clubs have banded together to try to stand up for an incredible sport that is embedded with tradition.”
Brown, the 2016-17 ironwoman series winner, was another to repost the image.
“Together we share so much passion for one of the most iconic sports in Australia,” she wrote.
“Currently our sport is under threat. Despite very large incentives, we chose to band together and stand up for what we believe in.”
Rogers, Newport athlete Lizzie Welborn and Northcliffe product Maddy Dunn are others who have taken to social media to voice their opinions on Iron X.