CONSISTENCY THE KEY
I dare say you have mixed memories of the Coolangatta Gold. In 2009 you collapsed right before the finish line and in 2011 you were chased down and passed 50m from the finish line. Was all that forgotten in 2013 when you won for the first time?
A
I think so. I still think about it now and cringe. I hated that moment (in 2009). Just not making it. Not even realising that I didn’t make it. It wasn’t until later that I asked my dad if I’d finished and he told me I didn’t make it. It took me a long time to get over that. It sort of fuelled the fire a bit as well. When the girls were allowed to do the long course, that was when I really wanted to step up and show everyone that I could finish a long course even if I didn’t finish a short one.
Did it add anything to the victory being the first women to tackle and win the long course race after a few years of being forced to race shorter distances?
Q Q
In 2008 you won your first series without winning an individual round only to lose in 2011 after winning four of the rounds but suffering one bad performance. How challenging is it to stay consistent throughout a surf career?
A
It is really challenging. There’s so many factors that are against you and out of your hand. I know people say you make your own luck, and that’s true to an extent but in surf lifesaving, there’s waves and the person next to you can be two metres away from you and get straight out. It’s tough and hard to mentally come to terms with that sort of thing. You just have to know you’ve done the hard work and trust you can put your best foot forward.
Q
You’ve won three Coolangatta Gold titles, two Australian titles and three ironwoman series but what moment stands out to you as the pinnacle of your career?
A
I guess winning the first Coolangatta Gold: the first long-course one was an amazing feeling (pic
A It was awesome. There were a few of us who were always pushing for it. Hayley Bateup was one that really wanted the long course but they weren’t allowing us to do that. When we were finally allowed to, it was a big motivation to be the first person to put my name on that trophy and show that girls can compete as well as the boys and do the long course. We wanted to show that we could compete in the long course, not just survive it.
Who was the best you ever raced against?
I don’t think I could ever put it down to one person. Kristy Cameron was amazing and didn’t have an off switch. She was really tough mentally and physically. I never got to race Karla (Gilbert) but Kristy and Hayley Bateup on the board was amazing. Whenever we were racing on the board, she was the one to look out for.
Q
Atured). I had nothing in the tank at the end. I think also, winning my very first ironwoman race because it had taken years and years before I crossed that finish line first. But I think my main memory is winning my first Aussies gold medal which I did in under-14s (racing in under-16 board relay) I raced up with two girls from under-16s and fell off my board twice going around the course but we ended up winning because they were so strong. I thought I didn’t really help them out but they wouldn’t have had a team if I wasn’t there.