What happened to the sport of Ironman and its cereal stars? We all know the sport – sluggos, Trevor Hendy, Kellogg’s versus Uncle Tobys and, of course, who can forget Baywatch!
A recent article in The Daily Telegraph to Ironman of the surf variety.
The article talks of a well known (some would say celebrity) Ironwoman, Candice Falzon, pleading with event organisers to give her a wildcard place in this year’s Kelloggs Nutri-Grain Ironman series after she missed the recent trial.
I’m going to declare my hand at this point: I am set to race in the series.
Furthermore, my sister was the first to miss out on an automatic place in the series trial, putting her in prime position to collect the wildcard position to be handed out. As a result, she was in direct competition with the subject of today’s article.
I am not going to attack Candice for having an article in one of the largest newspaper in Australia asking for the chance to race; in fact, I would do the exact same thing if I could.
Rather, I would like to ask the question of why this is the biggest news story in our sport this week?
Has our sport descended to the point where the celebrity aspect is the only worthy material in our small bubble of sporting excellence?
No mention of surf legend Nathan Smith making a return to the professional ranks, only to be matched by his sister Kristyl in a return that would make any family proud.
Barely a line about the champion Liz Plumiers on the comeback trail.
One small article in a regional paper about series contender Matt Poole breaking his leg and simultaneously almost ending his season.
And only a small column that series organisers have pulled off an incredible coup by getting 14 weeks of surf ironman on Channel Nine this summer.
Just an article about the most famous person in the series wanting a free ride in.
Now I will admit, this isn’t the ‘90s. Surf Ironman isn’t as popular as it once was and may ever be again.
But I will tell you what it is not: Dead.
Go and have a look at any Queensland beach on a Sunday morning and the hundreds of nippers running around in sluggos and skull caps.
This sport isn’t boring: Google ‘2013 Ironman series Surfers Paradise’ and watch some of the carnage.
And this sport is underrated commercially: more children are involved in nippers than both rugby league and AFL. Think about that.
It’s a long road back to the glory days for Surf Life Saving and Ironman racing; we really need to let the recent past go and move forward together or this might really be the last wave of summer.
Grayman
Guest
Great point made. I agree totally. I really do think that if Surf Life Saving can't get their act together, the sport of Ironman should go it alone seperately from Surf Life Saving. Set up a private body. Enough is enough. We are in the professional age. Competition for sponsors is at an all time high. I'd hate this great sport plummet to oblivion. The Uncle Tobys series operated away from SLSA and look at the profile it generated!
StevenS
Guest
Hi Josh, Good article mate. This may be slightly off topic but... I feel for a company like Kelloggs as they are doing everything they can to promote not only their product but the ironman series, athletes and this sport. The reason why the sport is where it is SLSA. They have no idea how to promote this sport so it is up to people like Candice and you to promote the sport. Example? 2013 Coolangatta Gold. Where was the PR machine from SLSA? The website is hopelessly out of date and provides nothing for a media to run with. Why did we have to rely on friends and ad hoc twitter to get any feedback as to how the race was going? What was the marketing and advertising plan for the event? Why didn't every surf club in Australia get a pack so they could promote locally? how many radio interviews were done? What was the communication plan on race day? This event has been around for 29 years and it pretty much managed the same for all these years. This proves that SLSA does not have a clue on how to develop the sport letting other sports not only enter but dominate. Take Ironman Triathlon - Had its first every event in 1978 (approx. 78 years after surf lifesaving events). You can watch the race live via internet, you can get race updates/pics every minute, you can track and athletes progress, you can get SMS updates of competitors (you choose), you can follow athletes progress via live gps mapping on your Ipad. There is now 4 Ironamans (and countless 70.3) in Australia with entries filling up in under 30minutes (2,000 competitors/race). ALL THIS IS AVAILABLE TO SLSA but they choose not to invest and unfortunately, this is why the sport is in decline and others on the rise. Kelloggs even have to pay SLSA for the privilege of putting on the NGIS and negotiated with Channel 9 to have Coolangatta Gold on Wide World of sports even though it is not part of their series and has nothing to do with Kelloggs! Triathlon Australia has money put aside that they give to events to help generate media production (TV, news etc) Athletes competing in NGIS (you included) are as good as those from the past. But, times have changed, and a picture on a cereal box is not enough. Unfortunately, I have learnt (and past behaviours show) that those that run SLSA will not change their thinking so the sport will continue to decline. Cheers...
Grayman
Guest
I think we can blame surf lifesaving for the the predicament surf lifesaving has been in. Lack of vision and action. The most marketable athletes in the world, and they can't attract lucrative sponsorship as they should. They could take a leaf out of the Uncle Tobys days in the late 80s and early 90s and use some of the methods. LIVE TV coverage, creative formats like run legs through the golf course at Coolum. Now the run legs are literally non existent and we are judging the champion ironman on the short course format and not integrating the enduro races. This sport we all love needs some creativity and vision!!! And quickly!!!
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
The sport was based on certain personalities and those that are well known to the public are not there anymore which means that it loses its appeal to the public.
geoffo
Guest
Am I right in reading that Margaret River is to be the WA leg of the series this year. Bags not paddling a ski through the break at the river mouth there. I'll be on the hill, just to watch that. I paddle an ocean ski, and the iron man is the only dose of ski paddling I can get on the TV of my favourite sport. Compulsory viewing in my house. They're seriously not going to make you paddle a ski at the river mouth, are they?
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Joshy - Good Luck for the series and thanks for the heads up that it will be telecast on Channel 9. Having moved to the Gold Coast just over a year ago you do get an appreciation of just how ingrained the beach and beach culture is to the residents up here. I love it and I am in the surf almost every other day, either before or after work and definitely both days of the weekend!
Johnno
Guest
Ironman in the 80's and 90's was king of Australian sport it rocked. Coolangata Gold, Grant Kenny,Guy Leech,Trevor Hendy,Dareen Mercer, Dean Mercer, Craig Riddington, Kye Hurst all legends. And so much coverage and hype. These were real men it was exciting times. Then in the ladies Samantha O'brien,Lisa Curry Kenny had a little run, it was great times. Candice Falzon is now carrying the sport a bit.
Joshy Minogue
Guest
Cheers Mark, Leechy wont be involved in the running of the series, but may do commentary i have no idea about that... Thanks for the kind words mate Joshy
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Great article Josh! I love the Ironman series and am ecstatic to hear that there will be a lot more of it on TV this year. Will Guy Leech still be in the swing? He and Trevor Hendy add a great deal of gravitas to the show and I can't really imagine it without them. I feel for your sister, and hope they slot her in, she deserves it clearly. However, I am softening to Falzon, the girl brings in a lot of publicity, the vast majority of it good, and she is no slouch, not a champion, but no Kournikova either. Looking forward to the action this year, hope you have a good season and write up a few articles about your experiences.
peeeko
Roar Guru
I agree, it's sad Falzon get so much publicity