Paddlecast #008: “Ironman” Jackson Maynard talks elite ocean racing and overcoming life’s obstacles

January 13, 2020

by Christopher Parker (@wheresbossman)

Paddlecast #008: “Ironman” Jackson Maynard talks elite ocean racing and overcoming life’s obstacles

I sat down for a chat with a very interesting athlete today: professional ironman, part-time SUP racer and all-round legend Jackson Maynard.

Maynard hails from my hometown here on the Gold Coast where he represents our local surf lifesaving club, Currumbin Vikings. He competes on the Nutri-Grain Ironman Series (“lifeguard racing”), which is an incredibly elite and very prestigious tour.

But to reach the pinnacle of his sport, Maynard has had to overcome some incredible medical setbacks — it’s a fascinating story of resilience and determination.

Maynard will be competing in a new specialty event, “Iron X,” which is happening on 26 January and offers a $100,000 prize purse. Iron X combines traditional lifeguard races with stand up paddling and cross-fit. It’s one of the richest SUP-related events ever held. Alongside with Maynard, Michael Booth, Lincoln Dews and James Casey have also been invited to compete against the best from the Nutri-Grain Series.

We also get some interesting insights into why surf lifesaving has such a strong base and what SUP could learn from it.

Hope you guys enjoy listening to this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it. And if you want to know more about Jackson Maynard, watch the short documentary down below about the incredible hurdles he’s overcome.