Eckstein, Flood takes ironman crowns

Shannon Eckstein claimed his fourth Kellogg's Nutri-Grain surf ironman series crown with a dominant performance at Sydney's Coogee Beach on Sunday.

Eckstein powered home to win the final from Pierce Leonard and Corey Jones with
arch-rival and defending champion Zane Holmes back in fourth place.
It was a relaxed Eckstein who led through the opening ski and swim legs and as hard
as Leonard tried he could not catch his more experienced clubmate on the final
paddle home on the board.
Eckstein, who finished the series ahead of Holmes with rookie Matt Poole third, said
he was relieved to have reclaimed the title after blowing his chances last year.
"Last year I had some shoulder and neck trouble and I couldn't do the kilometres in
the pool that I usually do and I was underdone," Eckstein said.
"This year I've done a lot more swimming and that's a lot of our base work, and I
knew I was a fitter than last year.
"Last year I had the title to lose, I was going for three in a row, and maybe that
added pressure played on my mind a little bit.
"This year I had nothing to lose even though I was in front on the points, Zane was
defending champion, and for me it was get out there and do my best."
Earlier, Naomi Flood narrowly secured her first women's series title despite
finishing sixth to defending series champion Elizabeth Pluimers in the final.
"My face is sore from smiling so much," Flood said moments after being told she had
won.
"I work at a bank but I'm not so good with numbers so as I ran to the finish I
wasn't sure what had happened.
"I realised I would be first or second but to come out on top was amazing."
In the teams event, Eckstein, Holmes and Pluimers led the Southern Queensland
Sunfish to the title.