BRIDGEND BUILDER GLENN CLATWORTHY OUT TO NAIL COOLANGATTA GOLD

Surf Life Saving Australia, August 23, 2013: When it comes to sports the Welsh town of Bridgend, some 35-odd kilometres from Cardiff’s famous Millennium Stadium is a production line for footballers. Mainly rugby union players such as the great Welsh and British and Irish Lions running fullback JPR Williams and fellow internationals like the three Gareths – Thomas, Llewellyn and Edwards.

Bridgend and near-by towns have also produced their fair share of soccer players, rugby league players, cricketers and triathletes.

But Surf Life Saving is also very much a part of the popular Glamorgan region of Wales with local surf clubs nestled along the pebble-beaches of the near-by coastal town of Porthcawl.

And one of Bridgend’s unlikely sporting sons, local builder Glenn Clatworthy, who has a distinguished 20-year international career in surf lifesaving, has signed up to contest Australia’s toughest Ironman race the 2013 Schick-Hyrdo Coolangatta Gold, set down for October 19 and 20 on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

And after 34-years in surf lifesaving Clatworthy would love nothing more than to head home to his Sker and Pink Bay Surf Life Saving Club in Porthcawl having conquered the gruelling 41.5km Ironman course from Coolangatta to Miami (via Broadbeach) and return through North Burleigh, Burleigh Heads, Currumbin and Bilinga.

The 43-year-old is a legend in British and Welsh lifesaving circles, having won the Welsh, British and European Ironman titles.

He has also represented Great Britain on numerous occasions around the world and captained the Welsh team for 20 years.

“My main goal this season is to be competitive in the Coolangatta Gold,” said the self-employed builder.

“I have competed in numerous mountain marathons and this year I have taken part in a long distance ski series which consists of five races around Britain.

“So far I have contested four races and I am currently ranked number one n the Masters Age Group and number five in the Open Age Group.

Glenn-Clatworthy-ocean-ski

“During the off season I do a lot of mountain running in the Welsh valleys and a lot of boxing training as it’s too cold to go in the sea.

“But I’m really looking forward to the Coolangatta Gold although I must admit the training is getting tougher now the event is getting closer.

“I am at the age that I like to race in the longer distance events like the ski series, mountain marathons and the biggest challenge yet of course the Coolangatta Gold.

“I decided to do the race early last year when my training partner current British single ski champion and Welsh Ironman champion Sam Moore and I wanted a new challenge so this was the ideal race.

“Unfortunately Sam won’t be making the trip Down Under but he is still doing all the training and keeping me honest.

Glenn-Clatworthy-board

“I found out more information about the race on the Australian Surf Life Saving website and luckily enough my good friends, former Welsh Ironman champion Stuart Snell and his fiancee, famous Australian Ironwoman Elizabeth Pluimers were travelling over here last year so I got a lot more information about the race.

“Stuart and Liz are both doing the race as well so they are regularly sending me information about their training, which has been a great help.”

Glenn arrives onto the Gold Coast the week before the race with his family and will spend the lead up getting acclimatised when he moves into his accommodation at Kirra.

The 40-49 years Masters Division is always highly competitive but for this decorated Welshman to conquer the iconic Coolangatta Gold will be a badge of honour he’ll wear with pride on the building sites back in Bridgend and on beach at Sker and Pink Bay.

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia...

Ian Hanson

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