Gisborne’s Corrin, Taylor in round 2 action at Iron Series in Australia

Midway iron athlete Olivia Corrin finished fifth in round 1 of the Shaw and Partners Iron series in Australia and is looking for better in round 2 this weekend. Photo / Olivia Corrin Facebook

Gisborne surf lifesaving athletes Cory Taylor and Olivia Corrin will once again be fighting for survival and glory in round 2 of the new-look and cut-throat Shaw and Partners Iron Series in Australia this weekend.

The Gold Coast-based pair, who are members of the Northcliffe (Surfers Paradise) and Dawson Building Midway (Gisborne) clubs, were among an extended number of competitors for the opening weekend of the 2024-2025 edition of what was formerly known as the Nutri-Grain iron series.

Round 1 of the four-round series was held at Wanda Beach in Sydney last month.

The round featured an Endurosurf race comprising three board legs, three swims and three skis on day 1 and an Eliminator comprising three back-to-back races on day 2

At the end of day 2, the bottom six men and women were eliminated from the series.

Taylor was in the firing line. He was 11th in the Endurosurf but failed to make it past race 1 of the Eliminator.

His accumulated points, however, placed him 17th - good enough to avoid the axe.

Corrin signalled she is in the sort of form that earned her third overall in the 2023-2024 Nutri-Grain series.

She was sixth in the Endurosurf, ninth in race 1 of the eliminator, fourth in race 2 and fourth in race 3 to place fifth overall for the weekend.

Defending champions Ali Day (Surfers Paradise) and Lana Rogers (Northcliffe) were first overall.

Corrin said on social media that it was an “epic” start to the series.

“Some fast, brutal, and exciting racing ... stoked to have put together some great races and come away with a fifth overall.

“Huge thank you to Shaw and Partners and to Race One surf craft for supporting this new series and letting us athletes continue to live our childhood dreams.”

Gold Coast-based Midway clubbie Cory Taylor will be battling it out among the best in round 2 of the Shaw and Partners Iron Series in Australia. Photo / Jamie Troughton/ Dscribe Media

Round 2 is being held at Newcastle and features two days of competition.

Athletes face a Super Sprint on Saturday, which involves three races. In the first two, points are accumulated to decide the order for a staggered handicap start for the third race.

The second phase on Sunday is another Eliminator of three back-to-back races.

The top 16 men and women after the two days will advance to round 3; the bottom six will be eliminated.

A doubleheader weekend at North Burleigh on the Gold Coast on February 1-2 will complete the series.

The top 12 from Round 3 will advance to Round 4’s Grand Eliminator.

The prize pool for the series has been increased from A$325,000 ($360,000) to over A$400,000 and the two overall winners will drive away in an Isuzu MU-X vehicle courtesy of Race One Surf Craft.