Caine Eckstein Wins Coolangatta Gold Ironman Endurance Event
November 7th 2010 10:59
Caine Eckstein Finishing The Board Leg
The men paddle ski 23 kilometres from Kurrawa to Greenmount then run 650 metres back to Coolangatta, followed by a 3.5 k swim to Bilinga, a 4 k run to Currumbin, a 5.5 k board paddle to Burleigh Heads, and a 10 k run back to Kurrawa.
Hayley Bateup
The women ski 15 k from Kurrawa to Currumbin, run 1 k back to Currumbin Creek, board 4.5 k to Burleigh, swim 2.5 k to North Burleigh and run 7.5 k back to Kurrawa.
Former winner Hayley Bateup, who was not competing today, said it is one of the toughest things the competitors will ever go through.
“They will be just trying to get a clean start,” she said.
“They will be trying to get into a rhythm to conserve energy, and get around the first marker without colliding”.
The long run begins at Burleigh Heads
“I’ve said I’m gunna give him the race of his life, and that’s what I’m gunna do,” he said.
However, Mercer failed to rally at the deep water starting point and was still on the beach when the race began and the rest of the field was a kilometer ahead when 40 year old Mercer crossed the start line.
Caine Eckstein got a flying start ahead of 21 year old Corey Hill who stuck to Eckstein for the next 23 k, but rounding the buoy into Greenmount beach Eckstein caught a wave and made a 100m break into the run leg.
As 40 year old Mercer tenaciously fought his way back to an incredible third place, Northcliffe Club coach Pat O'Keeffe was livid, blaming the officials for the blunder.
“They started the race early,” he said.
“They should have done a head count… They don’t even know how many competitors are in the water!”
Surf Lifesaving Australia’s Andrew Book said it was an unfortunate incident but they were not to blame.
“We made it clear to all athletes that for the deep water start, all competitors had 20 minutes from the call to position themselves at the starting line,” he said.
“We did a head count on the beach; any competitors who could not get to the start were to report, which some did.”
“Dean can protest, but it would be a difficult scenario for us.”
Bateup and Alicia Marriott are the only two athletes to have won the womens event and Marriott was determined to keep it that way.
She won in a time of 3 hours, 21 minutes and 3 seconds, ahead of Courtney Hancock with Elizabeth Plume in third and Bonnie Hancock fourth.
Marriott said everything went right and it was her best race yet.
“Without taking anything away from the other girls, that was the easiest so far,” she said.
Caine Eckstein on the home run
Corey hill ran a valiant second, with Josh Minogue overtaking Mercer in the final run to finish third and Dean Mercer fourth with a time of 4 hours, 35 minutes and 5 seconds.
Caine Eckstein said it felt good to have a clear lead with Corey Hill in the ski leg.
“I consider myself a half decent swimmer, and I knew I could open up a lead,” he said.
Regarding Mercer missing the start he stated the obvious.
“You’ve got to be there at the start… You can’t be stuffin’ around,” Eckstein said.
“Then all you have to do is get out there and race.”
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