OVERCOMING THE ODDS TO CONQUER THE COOLANGATTA GOLD

October 27, 2011: The Coolangatta Gold tosses up inspiring stories of athletes young and old from all over Australia as they strive to overcome the odds and the elements of surf sports toughest Ironman race.
 
Stories of remarkable journeys to conquer their demons, achieve their dreams and battle Australia’s fickle climate to tick the Coolangatta Gold bucket list.

The 2011 Coolangatta Gold saw over 500 competitors take to the waters and the beaches of the Gold Coast for the 11th staging of an event first organised in 1984 alongside the movie of the same name.

 From five-time champion Caine Eckstein to some of the grandfathers of the surf who prepared for the event in the tropics of North Queensland to the sub zero waters of Tasmania, they all came to conquer surf sports toughest test.
 
Channel Ten (Sunday, October 30, 12 Noon-2pm) will telecast a two-hour documentary program produced by Castlemedia, of the blood, sweat and tears that brings out the best in rare Australian sportsmen and sportswomen.
 
The extraordinary athleticism and mindset of one of Australia’s greatest athletes in Eckstein and the host of challengers including Nathan Smith, Alex Tibbits and Cory Hill who set their sights on trying to unseat the king from his crown in the elite men’s race.
 
The battle for supremacy in the women’s event as Northcliffe’s Ironwoman series and Australian champion Courtney Hancock who carried the memory of her late grandfather Ron Goodenough on her 30.5 escapade to become the first woman to win lifesaving’s coveted  “triple crown” in one season.
 
And against one of the most competitive women’s field’s in the history of the event, including three-time winner Hayley Bateup, arguably the bravest in Liz Pluimers and a younger brigade including Jordan Mercer – daughter of 1992 winner Darren Mercer.
 
There’s the story of former Sunshine Coast open water swimmer Stuart Louth who prepared for the great race while working on an off-shore oil rig.
 
“I work a four-week on and four week off roster and training on the rig consisted of running on a treadmill and a rowing machine and a small weights machine,” said Louth.
 
And it wasn’t until 2011 that Gold Coast cancer survivor Richard Bedford, who contested the 2009 and 2010 Coolangatta Golds as rehabilitation after major hip surgery, got serious about racing.
 
Doing it for the mums was Port Macquarie’s mother of three Melinda Cockshutt who has completed six Ironman Triathlons, including two Hawaiian Ironman races and who tells of her mindset “that just because we have kids doesn’t mean we still can’t accomplish amazing sporting achievements.”
 
“My 7-year-old had cancer when she was four and is a survivor so my husband and I have a philosophy of living and enjoying life and trying things that challenge and take us out of our comfort zones,” says Melinda.
 
Then there is Byron Bay-based Sydney firefighter Peter Lewis who has cycled across Australia, paddled the full length of the Murray River in a kayak and paddled from Byron Bay to Noosa in a kayak.
 
“So why not tackle the Coolangatta Gold,” says Peter, who tells of his training sessions amongst the whales of Byron.
 
Tasmania’s “Mr Lifesaving” Don Marsh says the Queenslanders should never complain about the cold and reminds those who train in the warmer climates of “training in Tassie’s winter with snow on the mountain and sub 10 degree water temperatures.”
 
As a 60-year-old Marsh was placed 10th in 2009 and 12th in 2010 and he also prepared a group of aspiring young Tasmanians to achieve their dreams of conquering the Coolangatta Gold.
 
The Coolangatta Gold – Channel Ten, Sunday October 30 (12 Noon-2pm).
A castlemedia production