Coolangatta gold and silver for Tassie girls Allie and Ella
Surf Life Saving Australia, November 1, 2014: It was a case of Coolangatta golds and silvers for four Tasmanian-born surf lifesavers who dominated the Coolangatta Gold short course events on the Gold Coast today.
As the sun and wind greeted competitors at Coolangatta who embarked on the 32.4km course, stories emerged of ice picks and thermals as Team Tassie revealed their training tales in the winter chills as they prepared for one of surf lifesaving’s toughest tests.
TEAM TASSIE: Back row: (L-R) Don Marsh, Ryan Kelly, Bobby Byrne, Simon Murfet. Front row: (L-R) Ellie Picken, Ella Coates, Allie Britton.
In a history-making day for the Apple Isle, Allie Britton and Ella Coates finished with gold and silver for a Tassie quinella in the Elite women’s race – a first for Tasmania.
Then Ellie Picken charged over the line to add her name to the history books, taking gold in the Under 19 girls race while Ryan Kelly finished second in the under 19 boys race.
Britton opened up a commanding lead in the Elite women’s race after the 14.6km ski leg from Coolangatta to Miami and was never headed as she covered the 32.4km course in three hours 54 minutes 39 seconds.
Originally from Carlton Park, near Hobart, Britton moved to the Gold Coast 12 weeks ago to join North Burleigh while Coates, who was a Nipper from aged eight at Port Sorrel, near Devonport has been at Northcliffe for the last six months.
The celebrations continued for the Tassie team when former Clifton Beach-now Mooloolaba teen Ellie Picken won the Under 19 girls in the fastest time of the day for the women’s categories, breasting the tape in 3:48.03 with Bobby Byrne (Carlton Park) second in the Under 19 category which also saw Simon Murfet (Devonport) finish sixth and Ryan Kelly (Devonport) 10th.
Tasmanian surf lifesaving godfather, Don Marsh (Carlton Park), the oldest competitor in the field at 64, finished fourth across then line in the 50 plus Masters.
Montannah Murray, from Warilla Barrack Point, finished third.
The men’s race saw Currumbin’s Jackson Cosgrove street the field, recording an-all-the-way victory in 3:25.15, winning by a whopping 22 minutes and 54 seconds ahead of fellow Gold Coaster Joel Erskine from Tugun with Trent Harrison from Tacking Point, near Port Macquarie third.
Cosgrove said he would now eye the challenge of the Long Course over the next two seasons, admitting he would love to have a crack at the big boys.
“I really surprised myself, especially on the ski even though the northerly chop was difficult especially in the deep water off the reef of Currumbin, “said Cosgrove.
“I am really keen to take on the long course either next year or the year after.”
But it was a day for Tassie to celebrate with Britton admitting she has only been back in training for 12 weeks after a holiday in Europe, making the move from Carlton Park and leaving longtime coach Marsh to come to the Gold Coast.
“I thought I would give the Gold another go after moving to North Burleigh and I tried to stay relaxed during the race,” said Britton, who admitted leaving Hobart after 10 years was the hardest thing she’d ever done.
“I knew I would be strong on the ski and thought I would hold my own in the swim and the board before embarking on the run home.
“With a limited number of girls in the field there was no room for wash riding; you had to make your own line; make your own race and make your own way up the coast.
“The long course will definitely be in the cards next year; it looks like the longer the better might suit me.
“And with Ella Coates, my good friend from Tassie, finishing second we could not have asked for a better finish.
“It’s great for Ella and Port Sorrel, that’s a first for them too and for Tassie.”
Britton said she still received tips from Marsh who had been her mentor and coach for 10 years at Carlton Park, before she left to link up with former Tasmania Dan Norton-Smith and Coolangatta champion Liz Pluimers.
Ella Coates, who had been a Nipper since the age of eight at Port Sorrel, near Devonport, a beach that has huge tides of up to 600 metres, which she says is a long way to carry your ski.
“Growing up in Tassie you go training in the morning at 4.30 am and if you’ve left your ski on the top of your car you have to chip the ice out of your foot wells,” said Coates, who is studying Public Health at Griffith University.
“While you have to wear your thermals in Tassie all you have to worry about in Queensland is sunscreen and hats but it makes it all worth while when you cross that line.”
Marsh, who completed his sixth Coolangatta Gold and has been an inspiration for the Tasmanian competitors, said he was very proud of Allie and all of the Tasmanian athletes.
“Everyone has trained very hard to be able to compete here. The clubs have all assisted to help each competitor with some financial support along with fundraising to be able to get here,” said Marsh.
Five-time winner Caine Eckstein and defending champion Liz Pluimers will headline the men's and women's open fields in tomorrow's Long Course events.
Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia by
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia
Media Manager, 2014 Australian Commonwealth Games Team
Deputy Media Manager 2016 Australian Olympic Team
Media Manager 2014 Pan Pacs
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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