AT THE DOUBLE
Stawell Gift winner backs up with Aussie title
CURRUMBIN’S queen of the turf is now a national champion on the sand.
Elizabeth Forsyth has added an exclamation point to an already stunning season, adding an Aussies title to her Stawell Gift championship to underline her status as one of the fastest women in Australia.
The sprinter beat Kurrawa’s Bree Masters home in an emotional win she did not expect.
“I’m definitely super, super excited,” Forsyth said.
“This is just an amazing season for me and it seems like the highs just keep on coming.
“Coming off Stawell, I felt a little flat for a week and I’ve started to build in the past two or so weeks after that, so I’m just really happy that it’s all come together.”
The victory is another feather in the cap of Vikings coach Brett Robinson, who also placed Murray Goodwin on the Commonwealth Games team and has coached two previous Stawell winners.
“He’s just a phenomenal coach and I can’t thank him enough,” Forsyth said.
Jackson Simmonds from Sorrento won a third consecutive sprint title – and his fourth overall – becoming the first since Nick Yakich of North Narabeen (1962-65) to snare the crown four times.
Simmonds was also the first since Callum Taylor (1996-98) to win three in a row and could become the first in history to win five if triumphant in 2019.
The final was one of the few held yesterday as preliminary events and quarter and semifinals were packed in ahead of Super Saturday.
With gale force winds, rain and big swells expected in Perth tomorrow, organisers have shifted events forward almost 24 hours to finish today.
Harriet Brown won the restricted surf race yesterday.
Clubmates Maddy Dunn and Grace Rosato just missed a title in the board rescue after being pipped in a photo finish by Manly’s Taylar Puskaric and Alexandra Fleming.
Brown lines up as one of the favourites in today’s ironwoman final in a field dominated by Gold Coasters.
Northcliffe clubmates Dunn and Courtney Hancock are also among the favourites, while Kurawa’s Rebecca Creedy – the defending champion after the event was not held last year – will attempt to add to her haul of two titles.
Meanwhile, Ali Day says his heartbreaking Nutri-Grain Series loss has helped fire his campaign for a maiden Australian ironman title today.