A new headache for organisers of the troubled Surf IronMan Series.
Caine Eckstein has withdrawn from the competition to focus on training for the Hawaiian Ironman.
The 26-year-old has also pulled the plug on the 2012 Coolangatta Gold.
Eckstein won the summer series last season and has been first across the line in the Gold a record five times.
He plans to take a year off to “try something different” and conquer the KONA.
Caine’s elder brother Shannon was today named Captain of the Australian Surf Life Saving team, heading to the Wolrd Championships in Adelaide.
