One of Australian sports most iconic partnerships is no more, with Kellog’s Nutri-Grain no longer the naming sponsor of the surf lifesaving Ironman Series. 

Announced Friday, Sydney-based stockbrokers Shaw and Partners have taken the helm of the series, with an official announcement held at Bondi Beach. 

Kellog’s Nutri-Grain had become synonymous with the Ironman Series, but after over four decades of sponsorship, Shaw and Partners take the reigns, continuing a growing interest in the sport that has seen them sponsor numerous athletes and smaller competitive series in recent years. 

What happened to the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series?

After over 40 years of collaboration, the Kellog’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series has been rebranded as the Shaw and Partners Iron Series, as Surf Lifesaving Australia seeks to keep its flagship professional competition alive. 

But the change is not just cosmetic, with a raft of adjustments made in order to market the series to the next generation of sports fans. 

The Shaw and Partners Iron Series will feature additional athletes able to compete, 28 up from 20, as well as an increased prize pool – rumoured to be over $400,000 – and a format that does away with a total point score in favour of a grand final series, that sees athletes eliminated across the four events until just eight remain to compete for the title. 

The changes are believed to be at least in part inspired by a push to have Surf Life Saving be included as a new sport at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, but they also represent the next step for a sport that has in recent times struggled to maintain relevance in the public sphere, as was noted by reigning women’s champion Lana Rogers.

“It sounds very exciting,” Rogers said.

“Things do need to keep evolving to keep people interested and I’d love to see more spectators in the beach and watching it on TV.”

Men’s champion Ali Day agreed, and said that an uptick in support and participation would be key in any Olympic push. 

“These kids who might get in now, the 17 or 18-year-olds, they will be the prime age for 2032, it will be exciting to see,” he said.

Who are Shaw and Partners?

Shaw and Partners are a Sydney-based stockbroker that have been announced as the naming sponsor of the professional Surf Lifesaving series, having signed a three-year deal. 

The company has had previous involvement in the sport, having sponsored the three-day “Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic”, as well as personally sponsoring a number of the individual athletes. 

They are also tied to surfcraft brand Race One through Co-CEO of Shaw and Partners Earl Evans, who the brand’s website says “plays a pivotal role in sponsoring, personally and at business-level, exciting racing events across the country, elevating the profile of ironman/ironwoman and ocean paddling events in Australia to new heights.”

When is the Shaw and Partners Iron Series?

While the exact dates of the new-look series are still being finalised, the event will be split across three weekends in December. 

The first will feature the entire 28-person field, before the bottom six are eliminated in the first two rounds, leaving 16 competitors come the final weekend.

This will again be whittled down during the third and final weekend, to an eventual final race of eight for the title. 

What is the prize money for the Shaw and Partners Iron Series?

The winners of both the men’s and women’s series will recieve $25,000, as well as Isuzu MU-X.

All competitors will recieve some form of compensation, with an increased prize pool believed to be in excess of $400,000.