On a 1964 Australian tour of California, the competitors came across an event known as the 'Taplin', which involved a swim, ski, board legs, with running transitions.
The event was named the Uncle Toby's Super Series and was initially very successful, but after 10 years of big television ratings, the retirement of a few of the sports biggest start lead to a decline in its popularity in the late 1990s.
An attempt to revive the series was made in 2011 with the introduction of Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series[5] which was also televised on Network Ten however by 2011 the Australian sporting television landscape had changed, meaning live, free to air sport didn't command the same viewing numbers as the 1990s and therefore didn't support as high a level of commercial support and funding.
Whilst those that watched the revived series found it highly entertaining, attracting the required large numbers proved to be an uphill battle.
[citation needed] In 2013, the Kellogg's Ironman series switched to the larger viewing base of Channel 9 and Wide World of Sports.
It may be a while before the return to the "household name" days of Grant Kenny, Trevor Hendy, Guy Leech and Darren Mercer but has given a new platform to young Ironman stars, Shannon and Caine Eckstein, Ky Hurst, Matt Poole, Matt Bevilacqua, Ali Day and Kendrick Louis.
The typical Ironman race consists of a water leg of either swim, ski or board, that lasts about 3–4 minutes, with a course going out through the break, around a set of turning buoys, and back in.
Because of its lack of stability, it can often be the most challenging in rough conditions, however, because it is the fastest, it allows the competitor to be aggressive when it comes to getting out through surf and in chop.
The best swimmers in an ironmen field are often close to Olympic standard, such as Ky Hurst, whilst training for three other disciplines.
However in the 2000s Shannon Eckstein weaponised this leg into a truly fourth element of the ironman event by sprinting the run course during each facet of his races.
[9] While ironman races are held at every surf carnival, there are some major events that attract prize money, sponsorship and television coverage.
The format is the same as for typical surf carnivals, a ten- to twelve-minute race with a field of sixteen, with the first eight competing in the final.