SCHOOL'S IN FOR THE STARS OF THE nib COOLANGATTA GOLD

October 8: The cream of Australia's Ironmen and Ironwomen took time out from their nib Coolangatta Gold preparations yesterday to mix it with a group of budding Gold Coast surf stars in an Ironman challenge.

Two-time winner Caine Eckstein and the grand old man of Australian Ironman racing Dean Mercer were joined by fellow nib Coolangatta Gold entrants Stuart Snell, Bonnie Hancock, Elizabeth Pluimers and emerging youngster Michael Booth as they took on the kids from Surfers Paradise Primary School.

The assembled stars of the future also grilled the current day surf stars about their preparations for Surf Life Saving's toughest endurance race to be staged on October 18.

They then participated in an Ironman challenge of swimming and running with Snell, the reigning Welsh and British Ironman Champion and popular teacher at the school, spearheading the winning team.

Although there were some suggestions from his opponents that he may have had some inside information on the pick of the local talent, an accusation he denied of course.

Snell said: "I think the kids enjoyed it and obviously the best team won on the day, mainly cause I picked the teams?..no rigging there at all I tried to make it pretty even.

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Producer: Kim Hamilton
Title music: "Pelican Rock" by Carrick May (Black Heart album - independent)

"The nib Coolangatta Gold is just a great iconic event and hopefully we will get lots of kids down to the beach because of today.

There is a bit of incentive there now the kids know what the event is about; they know some of the stars to cheer on?. not just myself so hopefully they will be there shouting us all along".

They will be among 27 Northcliffe competitors lining up in a record 528 competitors who will flock to the Gold Coast for the ninth running of the iconic nib Coolangatta Gold.

Inter-state competitors have already begun flocking to the Gold Coast for a race that will capture the surf lifesaving community and sees Eckstein chasing nib Coolangatta Gold number three and Kurrawa?s Hayley Bateup a record fourth Gold crown.

Channel Seven will present a two-hour nib Coolangatta Gold special on Sunday November 1 from 2-4pm (Check local guides).

nib COOLANGATTA GOLD RACE FACTS

Previous winners

Men

1984: Guy Leech

1985: Guy Leech

1991: Michael King

1992: Darren Mercer

2005: Caine Eckstein

2006: Zane Holmes

2007: Rhys Drury

2008: Caine Eckstein

Women

2005: Hayley Bateup

2006: Hayley Bateup

2007: Alicia Marriott

2008: Hayley Bateup

Start times

7:00am Open Men

7:05am Masters

7:30am Teams

7:50am Masters Women

8:00am Open Women

8:30am U/19 men

COURSES

Open men, Masters, Male/Mixed Teams

Leg 1 SKI (Surfers Paradise to Greenmount 23km)

2 RUN (Greenmount to Coolangatta 0.65km)

3 SWIM (Coolangatta to Bilinga 3.50km)

4 RUN (Bilinga to Currumbin 4.00)

5 BOARD (Currumbin to Burleigh Heads 5.5km)

6 RUN (Burleigh Heads to Surfers Paradise 10.00km)

TOTAL 46.65km

Open women, Masters, Female Teams, U/19 Men

Leg 1 SKI (Surfers Paradise to Currumbin SLSA15km)

2 RUN (Currumbin SLSC to Currumbin Creek 1km)

3 BOARD (Currumbin Creek to Burleigh Heads SLSC 4.5km)

4 SWIM (Burleigh Heads SLSA to North Burleigh 2.5km)

5 RUN (North Burleigh to Surfers Paradise 7.5km)

TOTAL 30.5km