WHAT? I WIN 20 GRAND AS WELL?
Winning IS everything for 2021 Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic champion Jackson Maynard.
The Currumbin underdog came from the clouds to win the men’s race at Northcliffe and pocket $20,000 in the process.
“I haven’t won something in a very long time so for this, it’s like a little sweetener with the 20 grand,” the 28-year-old said. “I’m just stoked about winning, to be honest .”
The women’s classic was won by Surfers Paradise ironwoman Courtney Hancock.
SO long had it been between drinks for Currumbin’s Jackson Maynard that his newfound $20,000 payday was to him “like a little sweetener” on top of taking out the Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic.
Maynard (pictured) came from the clouds in the final ski leg at Northcliffe on Saturday to beat North Bondi’s Charlie Verco and home-club hero Matt Poole in the nation’s richest surf lifesaving race.
Maynard hit the beach at the same time as Poole but had the inside run to the line, crossing with mere metres to spare over his rival after Verco had earlier lost the lead when he gambled on a wave and lost in the race to the beach.
“I haven’t won something in a very long time so for this, it’s like a little sweetener with the 20 grand,” Maynard, 28, said.
“It’s just the prestige of this race, really. Shannon was a hero of mine as a kid. To win this race in front of this crowd … hopefully all of you come to the series next weekend because this was amazing.”
The packed crowd in the pop-up amphitheatre at Northcliffe urged Maynard and Poole on in their sprint to the line, with the former declaring he was ready to “do it all again” after the warm reception.
“I love it. This is exactly what our sport should be,” Maynard said.
“It should be six to eightfoot (swells) and absolutely pumping. I don’t think anyone here was uninterested.
“It was amazing to see – and how loud was that finish? Big thanks to everyone for coming out, it was unreal.
“Like I said, I haven’t won in a long time so I’m just stoked about winning, to be honest.”