MERCER SHOWS IT'S THE SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT
November 7: It was the end of one great career and the start of another in the lives of Ironman racing's "first family" the Mercers, during yesterday's drama-charged Coolangatta Gold...By Ian Hanson
The drama started even before the start of the men's race when the event's most celebrated starter, 40-year-old Ironman legend Dean Mercer missed the start of his last hurrah.
His final race wasn't supposed to start like this.
As the 56-strong open men's field set sail for a deep water start, Mercer was caught in the break and was forced to roll his ski several times before successfully negotiating the testing 1.5m Kurrawa break.
By the time he eventually got out, there was not a gold singlet in sight and Mercer's worst fears were realised - he had missed the start by 10 minutes.
But what transpired was one of the most courageous performances of any competitor in the 25-year history of the race.
Any mere mortal could have put his paddle in the rack and headed back to the surf club, put his feet up and cracked open a beer.
But not Dean Mercer, he came to Kurrawa one last time and he intended to finish what he set out to do - race like a man possessed, like the same man who first raced the Coolangatta Gold in 1991 and who was determined to go out with a bang.
It may have been Caine Eckstein's day with his fourth win, but it was "Deano" who paddled his way into everyone's hearts.
So what happened?
This is the day according to Dean.
"I thought I had plenty of time. I saw Caine going out but I didn't get out too well and rolled my ski a couple of times," a philosophical Mercer said after confirming he had completed his final Coolangatta Gold.
"When I got out the back I heard these girls yelling for me and I thought ‘that's nice, a bit of support from the girls' but I didn't see a yellow singlet and thought ‘my gawd, what's happened, they're gone.
"I couldn't see them and so I started paddling and then I saw Caine and Cory (Hill) coming back and I looked up but still couldn't see the turning buoy.
"When I got to the turning buoy and saw how far I was behind I said ‘I've got a bit of work to do here.
"I was prepared to do a hard race today but I had to do it all by myself and chip them off one at a time.
"I never give up at any stage so I kept chipping them off one at a time and the guys kept me well informed of who was in front.
"Once I got a smell of some blood in front of me I kept chipping away and chipping away, and going past one person, then another and another.
"I know the race was going to be tough because I'd anticipated going head to head with Caine and this was no different but there was a lot of soul searching and it was mentally the toughest race I've ever done in my life.
"I came to peace with this race last year when my result really reflected what I was capable of doing and I'm still really proud of how I performed because not at any stage could I have quit.
"I'd love to do it again but I can't keep asking my body for one more time. I've asked one more time too many times. I've been fortunate to keep coming back and doing this but I just can't do it any more."
But Dean's greatest fan, his neice Jordan made her Coolangatta Gold debut and finished sixth in a very competitive women's field.
Jordan sat in the recovery tent waiting for "Uncle Dean" and wasn't going to move until he crossed the line.
She was the first person to congratulate Dean when he crossed the line and she was quick to thank Dean for his inspiration and her father and coach, 1991 winner Darren Mercer.
And while Alicia Marriott, Courtney Hancock and Liz Pluimers stood on the podium with Bonnie Hancock and Tara Coleman in fourth and fifth, you tend to get the impression that the name Mercer will be associated with the iconic Coolangatta Gold for many years to come.