Saturday, 24 December 2011

Newcastle Host Inaugural Junior Ironman Classic


Newcastle is the venue for the New South Wales round of this summer’s Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and IronWoman Series.

Newcastle has pulled off another coup in the surf. Nutri-Grain Series co-promoter and former ironman star Guy Leech have announced that Newcastle will play host to the inaugural Junior Ironman Classic for athletes in the under 17 age group on the same weekend as the sport’s elite take to the surf in the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and IronWoman Series.

The Junior Ironman Classic is set to become a major first step along the pathway to the professional ironman and ironwoman series and will feature on the program at both Newcastle (January 21/22) and Noosa (February 18/19) this summer.

Leech said the Junior Ironman Classic and Newcastle was a great fit. “We have been very keen to provide a stepping stone to the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and IronWoman Series for aspiring young athletes for some time and the Junior Ironman Classic is that pathway,” Leech said. “There are so many talented young ironmen and ironwomen out there and this event will give them a chance to pit themselves against the best in their age group around the same course as the elite in the Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and IronWoman Series.”

“Newcastle as a region has a proud surf life saving history and we thought it would be a great place to kick off this event. We are hoping it will expand into a bigger development series and be a feature at more venues in the future.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Owen said it was great to have another top class event in Newcastle. “This is another major events coup for Newcastle delivered by the NSW Government. It will be the first of two locations across Australia to host the Junior Ironman Classic,” Mr Owens said. “On behalf of the NSW Government, through Destination NSW, I am extremely proud that Newcastle has been recognised amongst Australia’s most iconic beach locations to stage both the Junior Classic and the third round of the overall 2011/12 series.”

“Newcastle provides the perfect backdrop for the event and I’m sure visitors and viewers alike will enjoy all that it has to offer. Summer in NSW is a wonderful time with sparkling surf beaches, pleasant weather and warm water temperatures. The event will also provide another opportunity to showcase Newcastle as a truly natural highlight of NSW, boosting its significance as a major tourist attraction on Australia’s premier surfing and beach coastline.”                  

Fast Facts
- The Junior Ironman Classic will have male and female races and be open to members of surf life saving clubs.
- The Junior Ironman Classic will be in Newcastle (round 3 of the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain -IronMan Series and IronWoman Series) and Noosa (round 6)
- The Newcastle round will be the first ever Junior Ironman Classic race
- Open to U17 male and female competitors
- Ironman / Ironwoman race with no ski leg (swim/board/run)
- Up to 80 competitors broken into 4 heats of 20 on Saturday
- Top 5 from each heat to final to be run between IronWoman Series race and Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series race on Sunday

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