Taylor, Corrin ready for Iron series

Cory Taylor and Olivia Corrin go into battle this weekend in the first rounds of the Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series in Australia.File pictures

Gisborne surf lifesaving athletes Cory Taylor and Olivia Corrin begin their quest for Nutri-Grain IronMan and IronWoman Series glory at Manly Beach in Sydney this weekend.

Taylor and Corrin, who compete with Australian club Northcliffe and also with Dawson Building Midway, will start in the 20-strong men’s and women’s “iron” fields.

Taylor, 30, automatically qualified for the series this summer after finishing fourth last year.

This week he told family in Gisborne that he had prepared well and felt “really good”.

“He finished third in the prestigious Coolangatta Gold a couple of months ago, so he’s done the work,” a family member said.

Corrin requalified for this season’s series by winning the qualifying trial six weeks ago.

The 23-year-old topped the points across the weekend series of qualifying races.

Both athletes have said they cannot wait for the “iron” series to begin.

Corrin expects it to be awesome.

“It is an extra step up, racing the best girls in the world, and with the next generation coming through as well, it is going to be really exciting,” she said.

“They are pushing us to better ourselves, so it will be super-fast racing.”

This week she told her family she was ready to go.

“Liv said she was feeling very fit and looking forward to it,” a family member said.

Rounds 1 and 2 of the six-round series are at Manly Beach tomorrow and on Sunday.

The next two rounds will be held at Maroubra Beach in Sydney on January 13 and 14, and the final two rounds will be at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast on February 3 and 4.

The action will be screened live and free on SBS Sport and Sky Sport NZ.

Racing starts tomorrow and on Sunday from 1pm AEDT/3pm NZDT.