Alicia Marriott Shows Strength In The Ironwoman !
Trip Start
Sep 04, 2007
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Trip End
Sep 01, 2008
Scarborough,
Australia
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The final day of the Aussies brought out thousands of spectators to Scarborough Beach to watch the final day of competition of the Surf Life Savers Championships! By mid morning, the temperature had already reached the mid 20's with clear skies and low winds forecast for the day! Everything was set for a great day competition and cheering!
Thousands of spectators gathered at the Scarborough Amphitheatre as well as along the beach from Brighton Beach to North Scarborough Beach! The Beach had numerous events including Mens and Womens Beach Sprints, Team Relay Sprints and Club March Past! Television helicopters were hovering over the water covering all the final events! Television cameras were providing coverage on the water and beach
Thousands At The Scarborough Amphitheatre !
. These video images were transmitted onto the big video screen at the amphitheatre! The media photographers often competed with the television cameras for prime space! All in all, there was plenty of media coverage at today's Aussies! The water had numerous final events including Boat Races, Surf Board Races, Surf Ski Races, Taplin Relay Races and the "Grand-Daddy" of the entire Aussies, the Women's and Men's Open Ironwoman and Ironman Competitions!
One of the Womens favourites, Alicia Marriot of the City of Perth SLS Club was in the final race! Although she had never won this race, she came in second in the 2006 Aussies Ironwoman Race! In addition, Alicia was the Coolgatta Gold 2007 Champion, #2 Coolangatta Gold 2005 Championships, and #2 Open 2007 Aussies Female Board Race! This year, she's won the NIB Coolangatta Gold and won three rounds of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Iron Woman! Needless to say, she's Western Australia's pride and joy!
In the Ironwoman Race, Alicia came out toe to toe with her main competitor Haley Bateup, who also plays the character Nitro on Channel 7's "Gladiators" TV show! Another fellow competitor was Candace Falzon of North Bondi SLSC, who's also a part-time model and recent contestant on Channel 7's "It Takes Two" TV show
Alicia Marriott's Fans !!
! Both Marriot and Bateup were pretty even at the Board Surfing leg of the Ironwoman race but Marriot started to extend her lead during the Surf Ski leg. At the final Swimming leg, Alicia Marriot had a very comfortable lead and with thousands of fellow Western Australians cheering her on, she left the water and ran the final hundred meters on the beach, acknowledging the fans lined up along the finish line! She was met by a cascade of photographers and television cameras at the finish line! Haley Bateup of Kurrawa SLSC came in second and Emma Wynne of North Burleigh SLSC coming in third!Shortly after, the Men's Open Ironman Race was run with Shannon Eckstein of Northcliffe SLSC coming in first! Coming in second was Zane Holmes of Northcliffe SLSC and third was Wes Berg of Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC.
Overall, the club pointscore was: Northcliffe 261, Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park 204, Cronulla 170, Alexandra Headland 158, Manly 122, North Burleigh 114, Mooloolaba 108, City of Perth 104, Terrigal 101, Trigg Island 90.
The final day of the Aussies brought the best Surf Life Saver athletes out for competition! The beautiful weather and hot temps brought out thousands of spectators! The Aussies proved to be a genuine Australian event and the Surf Life Saving Clubs further engrained their position as a significant part of Australian Sport Culture!
Cheers, Rick & Elsie !!
