Former Australian champion Hayley Bateup is set to miss the 2008 Kellogg's Nutri Grain ironwoman series after failing to enter this weekend's trials.

One of the sport's biggest stars, Bateup didn't register for the trials by the December 28 cut off date and organisers now say she can't contest the qualifying event at Coolangatta Beach.

The only chance Bateup has to get into the series is by securing one of two wildcard entries, a discretionary decision that Surf Life Saving Australia general manager of Surf Sports Grant Baldock said would be "unlikely".

"There's a wildcard option and we base that on performance over the last 12 months but obviously the trial being the most recent performance will weigh very heavily," said Baldock.

"It would be unlikely that she'll go into the series this year."

Bateup did not return AAP calls on Tuesday but has not trained with her Gold Coast squad under coach Phil Clayton for the past three weeks and is reportedly in Sydney doing "TV stuff".

She is not the only elite ironwoman set to miss this year's series as former Australian champion Kristyl Smith has ruled herself out.

Smith finished third to Kristy Harris last year but her absence has now opened the door for an extra ironwoman to join the top nine qualifiers from this weekend's trials.

The loss of diehard Bateup is another blow to the sport.

At 27, she is the most experienced elite ironwoman in the country and one of the few remaining from the sports glory days of the 1990s.

Bateup's failure to enter the trials comes at the end of a bitter row between athletes and Surf Sports over personal sponsorships.

Bateup and men's star Zane Holmes led the refusal by elite athletes to sign contracts with Surf Sports because it limited their ability to promote personal sponsors on their swimwear, bodies and surf-craft while competing.

But Baldock on Tuesday said a deal has been finalised, although athletes still cannot have any logos on their swimwear.

"We've had face to face meetings - we're confident that the compromise that's being met will meet the retirements of Zane and the athletes," Baldock said.

"We believe (the deal) provides a win-win for the athletes but also provides the integrity of the sponsorship and the overall event."

The top seven ironmen and women from last year qualified automatically for the 2008 series, but current Australian ironman champion Pierce Leonard will be one of more than 100 entrants trying to gain a spot at this weekend's trials.

But the recent wild weather with waves up to three metres has organisers concerned about contesting the trials in such dangerous conditions.

"The bigger concern for us is the surf, with the weather having been quite cyclonic," said series spokesman Ian Hanson.

"It is really, really difficult conditions."

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