Entries on the rise in quest for Coolangatta Gold glory

 

SURF SPORTS, September 6: The leading contenders for the 2011 Coolangatta Gold are getting their last minute training in as the countdown begins for the 11th staging of the iconic endurance race on Sunday, September 25.

Starting and finishing at Kurrawa Beach, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) is proud to partner with the State Government, through Events Queensland, to stage the event on the Gold Coast for another year.

SLSA's General Manager of Sport Dave Thompson said this year's race has attracted entries from all over Australia with 200 individuals and 96 teams signed up to participate in what is considered a ‘must-do' event on the national endurance sport calendar.

"This year we will see more than 530 participants compete in the Coolangatta Gold, proving that the popularity of this event grows each year," Mr Thompson said.

"And it's our Ironwomen leading the charge with a record 50 women lining up for this year's event, a 50 per cent increase in female entry numbers since the women's category was introduced in 2005.

"Female participation in surf lifesaving has been an ongoing area of growth for us over the past decade, so it's no surprise women are lining up to show what they've got for the Coolangatta Gold."

Five new categories have been added this year to cater for the growth in participation including individual categories, under-19 female, Masters Men 50+ and Masters Women 40+, as well as two extra team categories for Open Mixed Teams and under-19 Mixed Teams.

Endurance athletes Caine Eckstein, Cory Hill, Hayley Bateup, Elizabeth Pluimers and Courtney Hancock were on hand at Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club today for the 2011 countdown event.

Showing her support for the event, Member for Broadwater and Parliamentary Secretary for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid Peta-Kaye Croft MP added: "The State Government, through Events Queensland, is proud to support the Coolangatta Gold as we welcome this iconic event back to Kurrawa Beach in September.

"Events like this are a great source of pride for the Gold Coast community and with 25,000 spectators expected to attend in 2011, the Coolangatta Gold is a great way to showcase the great venues we have on offer."

Endurance athletes from across the nation can now mark their calendar with Ms Croft announcing the much anticipated date for the Coolangatta Gold in 2012.

"It is with great pleasure I announce the Coolangatta Gold will be on again next year with the Gold Coast welcoming participants and spectators for the event on Sunday 14 October," Ms Croft said.

"Events like this are great for the tourism industry, providing a boost to the local economy and local businesses.

"With the continued effort to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, this is just another great example that the Gold Coast has what it takes to deliver world-class events."

2012 will be the 12^th staging of the iconic event, first run in 1984 and the eighth consecutive event since Surf Life Saving included it as an annual fixture in 2005.

For more great events on the Queensland calendar visit http://www.eventsqld.com.au/

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Coolangatta Gold - The Gold Coast's historic ironman endurance race

The 2011 Coolangatta Gold will be conducted for the seventh consecutive time since Surf Life Saving brought back the toughest Ironman contest in 2005 and the 11^th since the inaugural Coolangatta Gold in 1984.

Athletes like North Cronulla's Paramedic, Shane Whittaker, who contested the event for the first time in 1991 will return in 2011 - 20 years later for his seventh Coolangatta Gold.

The event was first conducted back in 1984 as part of the Coolangatta Gold movie when Guy Leech was crowned the inaugural winner with the Manly Ironman - defending his title in 1985 before Michael King added his name to the trophy in 1991 and Darren Mercer in 1992.

When the event returned in 2005 it was a 19-year-old whippet from the Gold Coast, Caine Eckstein, who beat one of his best mates in Jeremy Cotter and his brother Shannon to begin his love-affair with the event.

He had followed in the footsteps of his father Billy, a Gold Coast lifeguard, who had contested the first Coolangatta Gold in 1984.

The return of the event in 2005 also saw the first women's race with former Australian Ironwoman champion Bateup beginning her passionate association with a race that she has certainly made her own ever since, winning again in 2006 and 2008.

In 2006, it was Zane Holmes who added the event to his amazing list of Ironman racing achievements before Rhys Drury, coached by King who held up the Holy Grail of Ironman racing.

But with Caine Eckstein returning to the scene in 2008, he has made the race his own, completing a hat-trick in 2009 and 2010 when he won his fourth Coolangatta Gold.

The big question remains this year whether there is anyone who can beat Caine Eckstein for the crown in 2011.

The women's race will see Bateup return after injury and a shoulder operation forced her out of last year's race won for the second time by Alicia Marriott.

There will be a host of youngsters lining up for a crack at the Coolangatta Gold glory this year, with the defending Australian and Ironwoman Series champion Courtney Hancock leading the charge.

She will be joined by sister Bonnie Hancock, Liz Pluimers and teenagers Jordan Mercer, Danielle Allen, Kelly-Ann Perkins and 16-year-old rookie Teisha Jenkins - who all recently qualified for this year's Ironwoman Series.