Omanu's Max Beattie has topped off a successful Nutri Grain Series finishing just outside the top ten in his first season at the Australian event.

Max was one of three Kiwi competing in the series and says it was a great experience competing in the series.

Omanu's Max Beattie. Photo: Supplied.

'Being part of the series was amazing. It sounds cheesy, but it was a dream come true, says 23 year-old Max. 'I learnt a lot and proved to myself that I could mix it up with the big boys.”

Max says he's fairly satisfied with coming eleventh overall.

'I was sitting in sixth after the first three rounds. It took a few missed chances and some unlucky waves and I was back outside the top ten. But, I'm still happy with the way I raced,” he says.

If he was to pick one standout moment from the series, it was the final race in Round Two. 'Standing next to one of your idols (Shannon Eckstein) in an eliminator was a really cool moment,” he says.

He was joined by Midway's Cory Taylor and Mairangi Bay's Danielle McKenzie. It is the first time three Kiwi have competed in the series at the same time.

The final standings after six rounds saw Danielle finish in 13th place and in the men's Max finished in 11th with Cory in 17th.

Danielle, 21, who battled a foot injury towards the end of the series, is no stranger to the event. She qualified and took part last year, also finishing in thirteenth.

'The series is just a huge experience in itself. It's a whole new level of racing and I would definitely say it's some of the hardest racing I've done,” she says.

Danielle is one of the strongest board and ski paddlers in Australia and New Zealand and she is currently leading the ski and board rounds in the Summer of Surf series, which she says helped with her confidence leading into the Nutri Grain Series.

She says although she wasn't happy with some of her performances, there were many positives to take away from the experience.

'My best placing was a ninth in Round Two at Coolum. In every race, my favourite leg is the ski leg; for me, it's my weapon and I back my wave skills on it.”

While she has made some great friends out of her fellow contestants, she says when it's race time and the gun goes off, they're all racing for themselves and their families.

'It was huge for me to have many family, friends and coaches cheering for me. Having them backing you on the beach just makes every race more special.”

Like Max, it was Cory's first time taking part in the event.

'I felt honoured to be able to race against the world's best in our sport. It all went by pretty fast to be honest; it only feels like yesterday I had qualified and now it's all over.”