Bond University Bull Shark Cyra Bender credits her coach Naomi Flood with instilling the self-confidence that powered her to three gold medals at the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships after an injury-riddled season.
The Bachelor of Biomedical Science student started her Aussies campaign in style, striking gold on the first day of the championships in taking out the Open female surf teams with BMD Northcliffe ironwoman teammates Lana Rogers, Naomi Scott and Gemma Smith-Welch.
Though she looked dominant at the front of the pack, Bender admits she felt some doubt going into the race untested after stress reactions forced her to reduce her training load for the majority of the season, and finger surgery after a freak kitchen accident kept out of the water for three weeks at the start of the year.
"I hadn’t competed for a while, so it was felt a bit strange to be racing again, and for my first carnival back to be the biggest event of the year,” Bender said.
“My coach Naomi Flood really stuck her neck out to include me in the A team considering I hadn’t raced for a while but having her support gave me a boost of confidence.”
“To come through for her and the club felt so great – I couldn’t have asked for a better start to Aussies.
The victory triggered a gold rush for Bender, who went on to claim double gold in the belt race and rescue tube events in fickle North Kirra conditions on the final day of competition, rounding out a remarkable meet for her first year in the open division.
Bender says her belt race victory was made all the more special with having her dad, Kyle, as a linesman.
“Having my dad on the line was so nice, and I also had my age manager from when I was a young nipper on the team,” she said.
“To have people on your team who are in your corner every step of the way and who are going to give their absolute best – there’s something very special about that.”
Bender wasn’t the only Bondy to stand atop the podium at North Kirra.
ADCO Sports Excellence scholar and Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park all-rounder Jasmine Rayward stormed to victory in the Open Women’s double ski with teammate Dakota Luke, adding to the bronze medal she claimed in the female Taplin relay in another solid Aussies campaign.
An ankle injury sustained from stepping in a pothole shattered Noah Maggs’ hopes of claiming a junior Australian ironman title, but he managed to lift for Mermaid Beach in the team events, powering to gold in the under 19 board and taplin relays.
Bond alumnus Joe Collins was all class in teaming up with Olympian Riley Fitzsimmons to take silver in the Open men’s double ski before combining with ironman brothers Zach and Mitch Morris for silver in the ski relay.
American beach athlete Maddy Price did her home club of Capitola proud, finishing 9th in the beach flags in her first year competing in the opens.
Bender and Maggs have been selected in the Australian open and youth national training squad and will be eyeing a spot in the team which will be selected to race at the World Championships in South Africa in August.