After last week’s double withdrawal of Mooloolaba pair Danielle Allen and Kendrick Louis, Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and IronWoman Series organisers have delivered some good news announcing that New Zealander and fellow Mooloolaba athlete Aimee Berridge has been added to the IronWoman Series for the remaining two races.

The 21-year-old will take the place of Allen in the 20 person IronWoman field and will become the first New Zealand female to compete in the Series since Lucy Pengelly in 2006.

Berridge, who is the reigning New Zealand ironwoman champion, said she was at first shocked by the news but admitted to being excited about stepping on to the elite level and competing against some of the best girls in the world at Coolum and Noosa.

“I woke up at 8.00am New Zealand time and got the phone call and it’s been a pretty crazy 24 hours. Basically I got my gear together, got on a plane straight here and was straight into training,” Berridge said.

“Now that I’m in, though, I just want to grab the opportunity with both hands and make the most of it.

“I’m pretty pumped because I’ve had a few races this year against the IronWoman girls and done pretty well against them.

“It’s more just keeping the pressure off myself and having fun out there.”

Berridge, who ironically trains under the same Michael King tutelage as Allen, will make her debut at Coolum this weekend and said it was great that she is able to have her first race on the Sunshine Coast and for the Mooloolaba club.

“I’m just aiming to go hard in every race, do my best and make every I know in Australia and New Zealand proud,” Berridge said.

“What happened to Danielle (Allen) was unfortunate because she is such a hard trainer, but I guess I have to take the opportunity and run with it.

“I’m definitely looking forward to Coolum this weekend, especially if the surf gets up. I have been in Australia since I was eight and have trained at Kawana Waters with Kirsty Holmes and now at Mooloolaba and so to get a chance to compete up here is great.”

The call-up ends a frustrating couple of months for Berridge, who could’ve raced the entire Series if she had of finished one place closer in the Series trial last August.

Tallebudgera star Tenille Devine edged out Berridge for 11^th at Noosa, and courtesy of retirements to Alicia Marriot and Gemma Newbiggin, gained entry into the Series in the 20^th and final position.

For Berridge, who was the obvious choice to take Allen’s place, said the realisation of missing out the first time was gut wrenching.

“We were running up the beach in the trial and Tenille was probably a metre or two in front of me.  I was just jogging, thinking there wasn’t much point in trying to pass her because we’d missed the cut,” Berridge said.

“When she got the call-up, I was pretty shattered because I could’ve given myself a better opportunity.

“But I’m in now and I’m just super pumped.”

Berridge will make her debut in Sunday’s pursuit at Coolum, with the IronWoman race starting at 11.30am followed by the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMen at 1.30pm.

The race will be broadcast on Network Ten at 2pm nationally.

Completing one Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan race is tough. Completing a whole Nutri-Grain Series of races, even tougher. Doing it year after year for 15 seasons, just plain crazy.

Add in running two businesses, finding time to train three hours a day and starting a young family, and you’d wonder where you’d even find the energy to make the start line.

If you think it sounds pretty hectic, it is. Just ask Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series competitor Wes Berg.

The 32-year old Berg is once again producing a top season. He is at his consistent best, extending his run of top 10 finishes to nine in two seasons, and currently sits in seventh place overall.

And while a prized top three podium finish eludes the former Nutri-Grain Series runner-up, Berg said he wouldn’t change a thing so long as he was still able to compete in the sport he loves.

“I am so stoked with where I’m at,” Berg said.

“There’s always a case of going better, but the way I look at it with my family commitments and business commitments, I don’t get a chance to train as much as the younger guys, so to be where I am is very pleasing.

“Of course being able to get on the podium is what we aim for, and at the start of the year that was definitely the aim, but with such the high level of talent we have, to be in seventh, and at age 32, it is a great reward.

“Sunday’s race in Perth, though, was such a hard slog. I reckon it is the hardest race I’ve done in my 15-year career and I’m still recovering from it.

“To get ninth though, was great and to see some of the other old blokes like Hugh (Dougherty), Rhys (Drury), Ky (Hurst) and Phil (Clayton) also do so well was even better.”

However, there was no stopping for Berg after the 22.8km event. He was straight back on a plane to the Gold Coast to get back into the thick of things.

“After the marathon I got straight on the red-eye flight to be back at training with my world junior surfing guys. I only got into Perth late as well, so it’s been a pretty hectic time for me,” Berg said.

“It’s only going to get worse, I think. The ASP tour starts up soon on the Gold Coast and we have the last two Kellogg’s IronMan races in Coolum and Noosa so it’s all hands on deck.

“I definitely have to thank my wife Jade for all the help during these times. Competing and being in the surf is part of me and being able to do all of it is great.”

Berg, who needs just two more top 10 finishes in Coolum and Noosa to ensure himself a berth in next year’s Nutri-Grain Series, said that while last weekend’s round in Perth was tough, it definitely had earned its place in the Nutri-Grain Series.

“Look, Perth definitely has a massive future. Whether it is a marathon again or we go down to somewhere like Margaret River, I don’t know. But the reaction we got from the people of Perth was amazing,” he said.

“On Friday for example, Sam (Hamilton), Rhys (Drury), Courtney (Hancock), Harriet (Brown) and myself did a nipper clinic up at Mullaloo where there was over 270 kids.

“There was music pumping and microphones for all of us to talk to the kids, and overall it was really well run and the kids had a ball.

“They clearly appreciated us up there, so it’s great for the Series and from a personal point of view these chances are great to be able to put back into the sport we love so much.”

The Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series now heads to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast for round five, which will be held on Sunday February 12.

The round introduces a new race format called the ‘pursuit’ where there are individual swim, board and ski races, before a traditional ironman, and Berg is hoping the renowned Coolum swell picks up so he can chase down that top three result.

Mooloolaba’s rising Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series star Kendrick Louis has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after hyper-extending his left knee causing severe damage to his kneecap and ligaments, during Sunday’s 22.8km marathon in Perth.

The 21-year-old Collaroy athlete did the injury while trying to pick up his ski at the start of the very first leg.

In a credit to his bravery, Louis battled the pain to complete the opening ski and swim legs before succumbing to the injury.

Louis, who was enjoying his breakthrough year in the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series having held the leaders ‘black singlet’ in round three at Newcastle, will be out for up to 12 weeks and will relinquish his spot in the top 10.

A distraught Louis said despite the disappointment, he was now only focused on doing the right things and making sure he didn’t compound the setback.

“I’m not looking at anything apart from getting my knee to one hundred percent,” Louis said.

“I won’t even look at the Series trial or the Coolangatta Gold until I know I am one hundred percent.

“I’ll do what ever it takes to get it right and listen to doctors and physios and make sure I get it right the first time.

“While I’m very disappointed I’m determined to work hard to get my knee right.

“A lot of people have asked me if I will be at the final few races and I will for sure.

“As far as I’m concerned I’m still part of the Series and I’m looking forward to spending some time with the nippers and fans that come to these races.”

The injury, which included a shredded posterior cruciate ligament, a ruptured fusion in the kneecap and multiple tears to ligaments, is believed to not need surgery and will heal on its own.

Louis, who was only four points behind team mate and close friend Ali Day in the overall Series standings, will now go into rehab in Sydney and will be required to keep off the leg for two weeks.

The Series continues next weekend with the penultimate round at Coolum on February 12 before the finale at Noosa the following week.

Caine Eckstein came to Perth as the undisputed King of the Coolangatta Gold and left as the unrivalled Master of the Marathon, handing out an endurance clinic to his Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series rivals along Perth’s picturesque coastline.

On a blistering hot day, Eckstein broke away from the elite field in the third of eight legs, a 3.5 kilometre run, and was never seriously threatened, winning his second race of the summer by three minutes from Nutri-Grain Series leader Ali Day.

Defending Series champion Shannon Eckstein was third, three minutes 27 behind his younger brother.

Day’s second place means he holds onto his Series lead, moving to 80 points, ten ahead of Caine Eckstein with Shannon a further four points back in third.

Earlier Elizabeth Pluimers won her first race of the summer to take over the IronWoman Series lead, overcoming a tenacious Jordan Mercer whose catch me if you can tactics netted her the best result of her burgeoning career. Defending Series champion Courtney Hancock was third.

The men’s race began with a 5km ski leg but before a stroke had been taken in anger Kendrick Louis, who was sitting second in the Series going into the race, badly twisted his knee running into the water.

He battled on bravely in the ski and following 1km swim leg but collapsed leaving the water and withdrew from the event with what medical experts diagnosed as a grade two medial ligament strain and possible posterior cruciate damage. Louis will see a doctor and have an MRI in Sydney in the next 48 hours.

But despite Louis’ untimely injury that will likely see him out for the rest of the summer, the story was really Caine Eckstein’s destruction of the quality field – the 26-year-old five-time Coolangatta Gold winner using both run legs as the launching pad for the victory.

And that is not to take away from his ability in the water where he maintained his 30 odd second lead over Day in the 3.6km board paddle, before extending it in the final swim and ski legs to cruise to the win in front of a packed Scarborough Amphitheatre.

Eckstein said he put his foot to the floor in the first run leg, knowing it would be very difficult to break away from the pack in the water legs pushing into the strong winds of the Fremantle Doctor.

“I knew it was going to be really fast. It’s hard in that wind to break away in the ski and the swim, but I made a big effort in the first run,” Eckstein said.

“Shannon stayed with me for a bit in that run, I looked around and he was there, which was good, but then he faded away and I was stoked I was able to hang on and stay in front and I’m pretty happy.

“I was definitely going into this Series trying to win it and I got a bit crook for round two and it was easily the worst feeling I’ve had competing. So coming here I wasn’t necessarily thinking about the overall picture, but now to get two wins out of (a possible) six is a pretty good feeling.

Eckstein wasn’t keen to think about his chances for a maiden Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series title just yet, instead happy with his continued domination of the endurance events.

“Look, you never know, I can go to Coolum and I can get another tenth there, so I’m just happy to get the wins in the long events,” Eckstein said.

“There’s a fair bit of pressure on me coming into these types of events and it’s pretty hard to deal with so it’s good to produce when you think you have to win. I try to do my best, I felt pretty good out there, and that’s all you can hope for.

“To win the Series as well as the Coolangatta Gold is pretty unique so that is my goal and maybe I won’t get it this year but I’ve definitely got more motivation to knuckle down and do it next year.”

For Day, the second place, his second consecutive runner-up finish was very pleasing given the pressures associated with wearing the leader’s black jersey for the first time.

“I didn’t really look down at the colour of my singlet today, I just tried to think I was wearing the sky blue and just went back to the basics today particularly in this heat and it all paid off,” Day said.

“I still lack a bit of confidence. I think that is the key to this whole Series. I’m just trying to go back to the basics and do the little things right and keep pretending that each round is the first round and every race is the grand final.”

The next race of the Series is the Pursuit in Coolum on February 12 with the sixth and final round set down for Noosa the following Sunday.

For final results of round four of the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series, click here.

Elizabeth Pluimers has survived the roaring heat, blustery conditions and a brave performance by 18-year-old Jordan Mercer to take out round four of the IronWoman Series in Perth’s Marathon race between Cottesloe and Scarborough beaches today.

Pluimers surged past the gallant Mercer in the final ski leg to take the race win and move into overall first position, four points ahead of previous leader Kristyl Smith, and another three to last year’s Series winner Courtney Hancock.

For Pluimers, the win brought great satisfaction given the harsh conditions and great athletic endurance shown by the top five placegetters.

“I thought I was confident in the final ski that I could overtake Jordan (Mercer) but she pushed me so hard, and I just didn’t want it to be a run up the beach so I was just thankful I was on that wave ahead and to win is great,” Pluimers said.

“I sort of knew my run leg wasn’t the strongest and all I wanted to do is hang in there as long as I could, but my gosh the run leg seemed to go on forever.

“Jordy (Mercer) is an amazing athlete and she made me work so hard and I’m glad she is up on the podium. The wind made it a different kind of race and it wasn’t as hot as we all thought it would be, but nevertheless it was very tough out there.

“I don’t really want to think about it the overall Series lead because there are still two races to go and I really just want to be on the podium at the end of the year, but to be up there and in a good position is great.”

Mercer, who dominated the opening two legs gaining a 10 second lead over Pluimers in the board before extending that advantage to 58 seconds in the gruelling 3.5km run, recorded her best ever result in the IronWoman Series.

Despite being caught and overtaken in the swim and ski, the daughter of former Ironman legend Darren Mercer said she was ecstatic with her race and was delighted that she was able to mix it with the big girls.

“I really enjoyed that race, it was definitely tough but I came up with the rewards and that is the best thing,” Mercer said.

“I just went out hard and tried to get my lead from the start and I was able to do that and almost hang on.

“I was starting to day dream a bit in the last ski leg and all of a sudden Liz was up on my right. It was unfortunate that she passed be but to finish second is amazing.

“This is definitely my best placing in the Series and although I really wanted to take it out, my best result before this was sixth so I’m very happy with this. Mentally to know that you can do this and you are capable of it, is a bit of a mindset that you can do it again.”

Rounding out the top five was Courtney Hancock in third, local favourite Candice Falzon in fourth and Series veteran, 38-year old Kirsty Holmes in fifth.

Round five of the IronWoman Series now moves to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast when the Series resumes on Sunday February 12.

For final results of round four of the IronWoman Series click here

For the progressive point score after round four of the 2011/112 IronWoman Series click here