Daniel Collins is hoping for better luck when rounds three and four of the national ironman series are held at Maroubra this weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Redhead ironman is ninth on the six-round, three-stop series after an equal career-best fourth in the enduro format then a luckless 14th in the eliminator-style race at Manly on December 17 and 18.
Collins, 26, finished inside the top 10 to make race two in the three-race eliminator round but he was then last to miss the eight-man final after being on the wrong end of waves in rough conditions.
"I just got a little bit unlucky in the second race of the eliminator and probably used up a little too much in the first two legs and had nothing really left at the end of that race," said Collins, who was a career-best fourth overall in the 2021-22 series.
"It wasn't a great result but in a field like that anything can happen with some waves around and a bit of bad luck."
With relatively benign surf conditions and sunny weather expected for Maroubra, waves are less likely to be a factor in what should be fast racing in the super sprint on Saturday and eliminator on Sunday.
"It's good conditions for racing," Collins said.
"It's obviously an interesting one first race back after the Christmas-New Year period and in surf lifesaving it's always hard to put expectations on what's coming up, but see how we go.
"The format on Saturday is three races of roughly 12 minutes each races back to back to back, but we're going to alternate male and female races so that will be different to years gone by.
"Usually we've lined up again after about five minutes, or sometimes less, but this gives you more opportunity to warm down and freshen up between races. So I guess we can expect a little more intensity in each of those races. You will go into the final race probably fresher but having done a bit more work as well."
Meanwhile, former Hunter ironwoman Bella Williams gained a call up to the series on Friday.
Williams, who now competes for Northcliffe, and Kirstie Hardstaff will race in the Maroubra rounds after Harriet Brown (calf) and Aly Bull (elbow) were ruled out because of injury.
Collins was excited to have a busload of Redhead clubmates making the trip to Maroubra on Saturday.
They will be on hand to support Collins as well as clubmates Tully Elliott and Lani Waller, who are racing in the Super Surf Teams League on Friday and Saturday.
