Redhead rising star Lani Waller leads the under-17 ironwoman and board standings in the Summer of Surf series after a strong showing at Alexandra Headland in Queensland on the weekend.
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The 16-year-old won the ironwoman race, turning the tables on main rival Jasmine Rayward (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), at the 10,000-point Hayden Kenny Classic.
Waller sits atop the standings, 19,070 to 15,600, ahead of Rayward, who won their first clash this season at the 7000-point event at Coffs Harbour.
She also leads Rayward in the under-17s board - 18,920 to 14,690 - despite finishing second to her at Alexandra Headland. Waller is top of the ski rankings as well but that event was not held on the weekend.
Redhead coach Isak Costello said Waller was focusing on own age group while also getting experience against older competitors in open company this season. However, big swell at the carnival on the weekend prompted officials to ban under-17 athletes from stepping up into opens.
Costello said they had also put in a request for Waller to be allowed to race up an age group into the under-19 Next Gen series, which runs alongside the elite national ironwoman circuit.
Cooks Hill's Charlie Walker also got on the podium on the weekend, finishing third in the men's open swim.
Redhead's Justin McMorland was fourth in the open men's board. Costello was fifth.
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