CAINE THE THIRD RULES THE COOLANGATTA GOLD
October 18: CAINE Eckstein stamped himself as the king of the nib Coolangatta Gold, winning his third surf life saving marathon on the Gold Coast today in a race record time. DAVID MOASE reports ...
The 23-year-old staged a great battle with veteran Dean Mercer in the first half of the 46.6km race before surging away to win by just over four minutes in commanding style.
His time of 4 hours and 51 seconds was 10 minutes and seven seconds faster than the race record set by Rhys Drury in 2007.
Eckstein is now the most successful male athlete in the event's history.
"I hope now that I've won it three times people might show a little respect, I think," he said
"I did pretty much the perfect race there. I used my strengths and worked well with Deano most of the way.
"I train with him and he's such a tough racer."
Eckstein and Mercer made their move away from their rivals nearing the end of the race's long ski leg from Surfers Paradise to Coolangatta.
Their lead by the time they reached Coolangatta Beach was 150 metres and they had turned the race into a one-on-one shootout.
With 39-year-old Mercer in career-best form, it was not unto the 4km run from Bilinga to Currumbin that Eckstein was able to break away.
As they entered the board paddle at Currumbin, he was 30 seconds ahead of Mercer and then he turned on the turbo boosters to reach Burleigh Heads more than two minutes in the lead.
With only the 10km run to the finish remaining, Eckstein looked certain to win and a blistering leg ensured victory and the race record.
"It's pretty special. The first (time I won) I beat a field with a lot better people but I didn't think I was the best - I thought I just had a good day that day," Eckstein said.
"This one I definitely felt better."
Mercer continued to defy Father Time as he beat home all but one of his rivals.
After moving to the Gold Coast to train alongside Eckstein and the all-star line-up at Northcliffe, Mercer didn't get the victory he has coveted for the 18 years since he contested the Coolangatta Gold for the first time but he was smiling from ear to ear all the same.
"I was beaten by a superior athlete today and I have to accept that," he said.
"There is a huge sense of relief to have finished and I don't feel disappointed at all.
"I think this was a very good reflection of what I am capable of. I wanted to race the best race I could and to finish ahead of 
the old record (in a time of 4:05.04) is all I could hope for."
A month away from his 40th birthday, Mercer said it was far too early to say if he would race the nib Coolangatta Gold again next year but he did leave the door open.
"I have other commitments with my family I have to consider and I've been doing this for 25 years now but if Reen (his wife) gets a look in her eye that says I can give it another go I'd love to come back."
Sydneysider Nathan Smith matched his third placing of last year in 4:08.35. An improvement of almost nine minutes over his 2008 time was a tremendous achievement for the school teacher who is unable to train as heavily as rivals such as Eckstein and Mercer who are full-time athletes.
He was followed across the line by Cory Hill, Matt Poole, Josh Minogue, Cameron Gordon, Ben Squires, South African Jasper Mocke and Mark Simpson.
There will be a double celebration in the Eckstein house tonight after Caine's mother Donna celebrated her 50th birthday by completing the over-30 women's race.
The men's champion cut short his celebrations to race down the course and run the final part of the race alongside his mother.
It made her the fourth member of the family to complete the nib Coolangatta Gold, after Caine, older son Shannon - the three-time Australian Ironman champion, and her late husband Billy, who contested the first Gold in 1984.
"I'm so excited, this is unbelievable," Donna said.
"I'm so glad to have done this and there is a big party planned for tonight.
"During the race I was thinking about Caine a lot but I didn't see him until he joined me at the end but I was wondering how he was going. It helped take my mind off things a bit."
Powerful Sunshine Coast competitor Alex Tibbits confirmed his reputation as an emerging star of surf sports by winning the under-19 men's race in 3:03.32, ahead of Michael Booth and Joshua Brown.
Surf Life Saving Australia's General Manager of Sports, Grant Baldock, said today's race was a great success and an ideal showcase for the sport.
"It has been a fantastic advertisement for surf lifesaving, for the race sponsor nib and for the future of the Coolangatta Gold," he said.
"Weather conditions were ideal and that brought out big crowds of spectators right along the course between Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise."
Baldock announced next year's race will be held on November 7, 2010.