Kristyl clear in her determination to nail Nutri-Grain title
SHE’S coming off the back of one of her worst Nutri-Grain Series campaigns but Kristyl Smith says she can still match it with the best this season.
The six-time Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series runner-up struggled in flat surf last season and blames fatigue from her successful world championships campaign for lacklustre results.
She was given one of the wildcard entries for this year’s series and says solid pre-season training has her confident she will be among the top contenders come Round 1 at Coolum next month.
“I’m a lot more confident heading into this season than I was last year even though I did win the world championships,” she said.
“I just came home from worlds and was a bit flat. I was still motivated but I just couldn’t get to that next level.
“I peaked for the world championships and got stuck in a rut. I’ve had a consistent two-month block with another month to go now so I’m looking forward to being back in the front pack which is where I think I should be.”
Smith says she still longs to win the elusive Nutri-Grain Series title she has come so close to over a number of years but admits she would be content to run among the top contenders this series.
“At the moment I would just love to get on the podium in each race,” she said.
The Northcliffe clubbie said she was hopeful of an advantage and some powerful surf when the series returns to her home beach at Cronulla for the final two rounds in January.
Smith said although the Gold Coast missed out on hosting a weekend of racing for the Nutri-Grain Series, she believed better surf conditions could be expected at Coolum, Newcastle and Cronulla this season.