FEATURE STORY
AT COOLANGATTA
BY IAN HANSON
Coolangatta Gold is steeped in a strong and prestigious history on the Gold Coast, and is also one of the most
challenging endurance races in surf sports. What began as the central theme for a motion picture 30 years ago has now
commanded a place on Australia’ s annual sports calendar. On October 16, 2016 the tradition continued as two worthy
champions again took their place on top of the podium in the endurance event that combines swimming, running, board
paddling and surf skiing.
A
li Day powered to his fourth
Coates Hire Coolangatta Gold title
on the Gold Coast on October
16, and is now looking ahead 12
months to a possible showdown with the
only man who has a better record, fivetime winner Caine Eckstein.
The Surfers Paradise Ironman star
crossed the line in the 41.8km endurance
test more than five minutes ahead of his
nearest rival, Matt Bevilacqua (Kurrawa),
with rising talent Alex Wright (Alexandra
Headland) third.
Day’s win in three hours 54 minutes
and 29 seconds puts him one victory
short of the record held by Caine Eckstein,
and after the finish there was talk of the
pair both lining up in what would be a
monumental 2017 race.
Adding further spice for next year is the
clear indication that Australia’s greatest
ever Ironman champion, Caine’s brother
Shannon, has already hinted that 2017
“would be a perfect time” for him to race
Australia’s toughest Ironman contest.
“Caine is the reason I first wanted to
win this race and it would be amazing to
maybe take him on next year,” Day said.
“When I was young and saw him win his
first race I thought, ‘ How does he do that?’
and just wanted to be like him.
“The respect is mutual between the both
of us, which is all you can ask for.
“I saw him on the course again today,
like last year, and high fived him. We’ll see
what happens next year but for now I’ll
enjoy this fourth one.”
Day said he was happy to break away
from most of the 25-strong field in the
opening ski leg, allowing him to dictate
the rest of the race.
At the first transition at Miami, Day was
just ahead of Bevilacqua and Manly’s
Kendrick Louis, and was then able to
increase his advantage to more than two
minutes in the 3.5km swim at Burleigh
Heads. From there he stretched the
advantage during the board leg and the
final 7.1km soft-sand run from Currumbin
to Coolangatta.
Opening up a big gap was also some
insurance for Day, who had battled a
recent calf injury and only passed a fitness
test late the day before the race.
“I’m grateful I was just able to get to the
start line after sustaining the injury,”
he said.
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