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Luck wasn't on retiring ironman Shannon Eckstein's side as he had to settle for silver in his farewell event on the Gold Coast.

Retiring surf sport great Shannon Eckstein has settled for silver in his pet event after a costly error on the ski handed Max Brooks an unlikely Australian Ironman Championship.

An eight-time winner of the event over a 20-year career, Eckstein rued having to pull out of a wave and give up 100m to his rivals after establishing a lead at Gold Coast's Broadbeach.

Brooks took full advantage to spoil the fairytale finish, but Eckstein said the injury-marred season was still one of his fondest because it had come with far less pressure.

"I couldn't go down I; had to pull off (a wave) and 360 around," Eckstein explained.

"I gave away 100 metres and I had to try make that up ... and nearly got there.

"That's the sport. You try to put yourself in a position where bad luck doesn't get you, but it got me a bit there today.

"This year's been about enjoying it - I started nippers for enjoyment and that's how I wanted to finish."

Newport's Brooks couldn't believe his luck when he saw Eckstein floundering.

"I've loved the sport since I was 10 years old and he (Shannon) was always the one at the top of his game and to be able to race with him for the last four years and then to be in his last ever two races it means a lot," he said.

Meanwhile Georgia Miller capped a perfect season when she added an Australian Ironwoman Championship to her Nutri-Grain Ironman and Coolangatta Gold titles.

The lead changed several times over the course of the race with Hannah Sculley establishing an early advantage during the board stage.

Sculley surrendered the lead when she fell off her ski early in the second stage and Miller along with Courtney Hancock took control, before Miller surged to victory on the swim leg.