Even stars battle to carve out a living

COOLANGATTA Gold champion Georgia Miller says the Shannon Eckstein Classic presents a turning point for a sport that is starting to get its mojo back.

Miller is part of a generation of top-class ironwomen and men who have continued to raise the bar on performance in a sport starved of financial incentives.

The 21-year-old said the tide was starting to turn for the sport she believed could edge back to its glory days.

“I think it’s getting better with events like the Ocean6 and others,” Miller said.

“The involvement of people seems to be coming back. We are gaining more sponsors which is the main thing. I hope it gets back to its glory days.

“To have a race like this with $20,000 up for grabs to the winner of the ironwoman is incredible. The fact there is such big prizemoney … will revamp surf lifesaving.

“Our season is only in summer so another event is great.”

Miller leads the NutriGrain Ironwoman Series and is the reigning Coolangatta Gold champion but even she has found it tough to grind out a professional career.

“I’m still working at (Northcliffe) most nights and during the day,” she said.

“It’s been tough to juggle it all as a fulltime athlete. I struggled a lot financially.”

Nutri-Grain Ironman Series leader Ali Day, 28, said the prestige of winning a title created by Eckstein was enough but was adamant the money would change the sport.

“With $20,000 on the line in a 10 to 12-minute race, I have never had anything like that,” Day said. “I have won Coolangatta Golds where there is around $20,000 but that is four hours of work.”