As Matt Bevilacqua took the chance to take one last look over the shoulder, Brielle Cooper preferred to focus on the sand in front of her.
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Both athletes – two of the best in the sport right now – tasted success on a superb Sunday afternoon of racing at North Wollongong Beach in the Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series’.
For Kurrawa Ironman Bevilacqua, it was a win to savour.
He had stolen a winning break by the time he had left the water for the final time and shared high fives with crowd members on his way to the finish line.
It was a valuable victory for his overall title aspirations.
The result moves him to third overall at the halfway point of the series.
Kiama’s Ali Day, who won the last round at Coolum, finished fifth to maintain his status at the top of the leaderboard.
Day (242 points) leads Trevor Hendy (223), with Bevilacqua now just 25 points off the top.
Meanwhile, fellow Kurrawa star Cooper had a similarly memorable day.
She was made to work hard up the beach as title rival Harriet Brown stayed hot on her heels in the Women’s Ironwoman Final.
But Cooper was able to keep the Northcliffe star at bay, with Currumbin’s Karlee Nurthen close behind in third.
Cooper (200) won the last round at Coolum and closed the gap on Brown (229) in the race for the title with her win in Wollongong.
Northcliffe’s Danielle McKenzie is level with Cooper on 200 points.
Earlier in the day, Bevilacqua was also successful in the Men’s Board Race.
The Tasmanian claimed the final after fighting off the challenge of Surfers Paradise talent Malcolm Nicholas.
In other events, Newport’s Blake Drysdale edged out club mate Jake Lynch to take out the Male Beach Flags while Kurrawa’s Bree Master claimed the Female division.
In the Beach Sprint, Newport’s Lynch went one better to claim honours while Currumbin talent Olivia Eaton, who also finished second in the Flags, got the best of a high quality field.
Northcliffe’s Mitchell Combes was victorious in the Men’s Surf Race and Alexandra Headland’s Lani Pallister won the Women’s Event.
Mermaid Beach (Men’s) and Newport (Women’s) won the Board Relays, Alexandra Headland (Men’s) and Northcliffe (Women’s) took out the Ski Relay while Manly (Men’s) and Noosa Heads (Women’s) claimed the Taplin Relay.
The event was hailed as a success by organisers.
The next event in the series will be held at Fairhaven before the competition travels to Surfers Paradise.
North Cronulla will host the final event of the series on the last weekend in February.
