HUNTER Surf Lifesaving was back on the sport’s biggest stage after a long absence with former Cooks Hill and Swansea-Belmont athlete Eliza Smith making her debut on the professional Ironwoman series.
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However, it was a tough introduction for the 22 year-old.
Saturday’s opening round at Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast brought flat conditions and hard racing.
Smith finished at the back of the field in 18th.
Sunday’s round 2 brought a chance to make amends, but Smith was eliminated in the opening race, finishing 17th.
Meanwhile in Perth, another former Swansea-Belmont competitor, Michael Booth, took fourth place at the World Series Doctor surf ski event.
The 28-kilometre race sees competitors paddle from Rottnest Island to Sorrento, with the iconic Doctor seabreeze providing assistance.
Booth battled with training partner Cory Hill, and South African brothers Jasper and Dawid Mocke for most of the race.
But during the last five kilometres he fell behind, leaving Hill to take the win ahead of Jasper and Dawid respectively.
The result also saw Hill become the first paddler to win the Molokai crossing, World Championships and World Series in the same year.
Further back, Michael’s brother, Daniel Booth, finished 17th, while Swansea-Belmont’s Sam Djodan finished 18th, and Redhead’s Greg Tobin recovered from missing the start of the race to take 19th.