Coast to Coast (race)

The Coast to Coast is a non-standard multisport competition held annually in New Zealand. It is run from the west coast to the east coast of the South Island, and features running, cycling and kayaking elements over a total of 243 kilometres (151 mi).

History

The first Coast to Coast race was organised in 1983 by New Zealand sportsman Robin Judkins who had earlier run the three day Alpine Ironman. The original race featured only 79 competitors and was considered a largely local event. Subsequent races have increased in size, and by the race's 25th anniversary run in 2007 the field had increased to 840 participants and gained international acclaim as one of the premier adventure races in the world.[1]

After organising the race for 31 years, Judkins sold the rights in May 2013 to tourism company Trojan Holdings[2][3] for an undisclosed amount.

Course

The race consists of three different timed events which all run over the same course: individual and two-person teams competing over a two-day event, and the titular World Championship race, a one-person, one-day event previously called The Longest Day competition.

The race begins with a 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) run from Kumara Beach on the Tasman Sea, followed by a 55 km (34 mi) cycling up State Highway 73 to Aickens. The next segment of the race is a 33 kilometres (21 mi) run up the Deception River, through Goat Pass and then down the Mingha River to the Bealey River and SH 73 at Klondyke Corner. For the two-day event, competitors overnight here.

From Klondyke Corner, a 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) cycling leg along SH 73 brings competitors to the Waimakariri River at Mount White Bridge. From here, competitors kayak 67 kilometres (42 mi) down the river to the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge (Route 72).

Until 2014, the final segment was a 70 kilometres (43 mi) cycling race along Old West Coast Road and through Christchurch (via SH 73, SH 76, SH 74A, Ferry Road and Main Road) to the finish at Sumner Beach, on the Pacific Ocean.

From 2015, the route was shifted north of the Waimakariri River to follow South Eyre Road, then travelling through north-eastern Christchurch to finish at New Brighton beach, a total distance just 500 metres shorter than the original. The main reason for the change was to avoid competitors contending with numerous traffic lights through Christchurch's inner suburbs.

Records

The record time of completion of the race is in 10 hours, 34 minutes and 37 seconds, achieved by Keith Murray in 1994. Murray also holds the record for the two-day competition at 11:05:18 from the year before in 1993.[4]

Event Time Participant Year
Men's Individual (One day) 10:34:37 Keith Murray 1994
Women's Individual (One day) 12:09:26 Andrea Murray 1997
Men's Individual (Two day) 11:05:18 Keith Murray 1993
Women's Individual (Two day) 12:59:57 Anne Woodley 1997
Men's Teams 10:50:56 Michael Causer
Graham Causer
1993
Women's Teams 12:37:53 Suzanne Stowell
Andrea Devine
1994

Steve Gurney, a local from Christchurch, has won the event a record 9 times, in 1990, 1991, and 1997–2003.[5]

Individual (one day) results

Year Men Women
Competitor Residence Time Competitor Residence Time
1987Russell PrinceChristchurch12:19:51Stella SweneyNelson16:07:10
1988John JacobyMelbourne, Australia12:02:59Denise HiggisonTauranga17:22:08
1989John JacobyMelbourne, Australia11:27:19Stella SweneyNelson13:11:10
1990Steve GurneyChristchurch11:06:49Anna KeelingChristchurch13:39:01
1991Steve GurneyChristchurch10:56:14Kathy LynchMotueka12:46:04
1992Rockley MontgomerySouth Africa08:37:30Kathy LynchMotueka09:29:36
1993John JacobyMelbourne, Australia11:06:02Kathy LynchMotueka12:41:52
1994Keith MurrayChristchurch10:34:37Kathy LynchMotueka12:38:31
1995Ian EdmondChristchurch11:44:22Wendy NelsonGeraldine13:17:14
1996Neil JonesWhakatane11:49:39Kathy LynchMotueka13:16:58
1997Steve GurneyChristchurch10:55:16Andrea MurrayChristchurch12:09:26
1998Steve GurneyChristchurch11:30:09Alexandra StewartWellington13:50:34
1999Steve GurneyChristchurch11:34:21Kate CallaghanAuckland13:17:58
2000Steve GurneyChristchurch11:47:32Jill WestenraWellington13:16:25
2001Steve GurneyChristchurch11:04:58Jill WestenraWellington12:46:35
2002Steve GurneyChristchurch11:53:08Jill WestenraWellington13:25:34
2003Steve GurneyChristchurch11:14:08Jill WestenraWellington12:25:54
2004George ChristisonNapier11:33:30Kristina Strode-PennyChristchurch13:08:43
2005Richard UssherNelson11:44:07Kristina AnglemChristchurch12:40:34
2006Richard UssherNelson11:05:06Emily MiazgaCanada13:00:15
2007Gordon WalkerAuckland11:39:30Fleur PawseyWellington13:29:47
2008Richard UssherNelson11:03:52Emily MiazgaCanada13:16:24
2009Gordon WalkerAuckland11:49:26Emily MiazgaCanada13:39:33
2010Gordon WalkerAuckland09:43:24Elina UssherFinland10:59:54
2011Richard UssherNelson10:41:12Sophie HartNelson12:10:31
2012Richard UssherNelson11:33:24Elina UssherFinland13:25:24
2013Braden CurrieMethven11:06:51Sophie HartNelson12:36:19
2014[6]Braden CurrieWanaka11:18:37Jess SimsonWellington13:12:24
2014[7]Braden CurrieWanaka11:20:46Jess SimsonWellington13:05:10
2015Braden CurrieWanaka11:27:46Jess SimsonWanaka13:05:44
2016Sam ClarkWhakatane11:37:07Elina UssherFinland13:32:41

References

  1. Woodcock, Fred (9 February 2007). "Coast-to-Coast a life-changing event". The Dominion Post.
  2. Longley, Geoff (10 May 2013). "Judkins sells Coast to Coast". The Press. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  3. Hutching, Chris (13 May 2013). "Rich List 'coasters' keep Judkins as 'beer boy'". National Business Review. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  4. "Coast to Coast:Individual Race Records". Speight's Coast to Coast. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  5. Guerney, Steve. "Steve Gurney". Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  6. Egan, Brendon (16 February 2014). "Braden Currie shines in Coast to Coast win". The Press. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  7. Davis, Hanne (15 February 2015). "Braden Currie wins third straight Coast to Coast race after rival's bike breaks down". The Press. Retrieved 4 November 2015.

External links

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