- The Coolangatta Gold
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The NIB Coolangatta Gold is one of the premier events in the Australian sport of Ironman (surf lifesaving). The event is organised by Surf Life Saving Australia.
Contents
The Event
The event takes place annually near Coolangatta, Queensland over a course of approximately 46km. The 2006 course was as follows:
Leg Discipline Route Distance 1 Surfski Surfers Paradise to Greenmount SLSC 23.km 2 Run Greenmount SLSC to Coolangatta SLSC 0.65km 3 Swim Coolangatta SLSC to Bilinga SLSC 3.50km 4 Run Bilinga SLSC to Currumbin SLSC 4.00km 5 Board Currumbin SLSC to Burleigh Heads SLSC 5.50km 6 Run Burleigh Heads SLSC to Surfers Paradise 10.00km Total 46.65km The NIB Coolangatta Gold is one of the original Ironman endurance events involving a 23km surf ski leg from Surfers Paradise to Greenmount before a return journey north that includes a beach run of 0.65km from Greenmount to Coolangatta; a 3.5km surf swim to Bilinga; a 4km beach run to Currumbin and a 5.5km board paddle to Burleigh Heads before the final torturous 10km beach run Burleigh Heads to Surfers Paradise.
Made famous by the 1984 movie of the same name, starring surf lifesaving legend Grant Kenny, Kieron Hyndman and a then young up-and-coming actor named Colin Friels, the movie was filmed in conjunction with the running of the inaugural race in front of a massive crowd at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.
Many of the scenes in the film are action from the original race held in January 1984 that was won by Guy Leech, who at the time was an unheralded 18-year-old from Manly. Leech also won the second running of the event a year later and went on to become one of the most recognised faces on the Australian sporting landscape.
The Gold was contested in 1984, 1985, 1991 and 1992 before being reformatted and reborn in 2005 as an exciting new era for Surf Life Saving Australia with the modern event now also including a shorter women’s race, team event and masters competitors along with for the first time in 2007 the race being open to non surf lifesaving competitors.Winners
Men
Year Winner Second Third Racetime 2011 Caine Eckstein 
Nathan Smith Alex Tibbets 4:15:26 2010 Caine Eckstein Cory Hill Josh Minogue 4:11:41 2009 Caine Eckstein Dean Mercer Nathan Smith 4:00:51 2008 Caine Eckstein Tim Peach Nathan Smith 4:14:15 2007 Rhys Drury Shannon Eckstein Drew Cairncross 4:10:58 2006 Zane Holmes Nathan Smith Dean Mercer 4:25:01 2005 Caine Eckstein Jeremy Cotter Shannon Eckstein 4:20:14 1992 Darren Mercer Michael King Dean Mercer 1991 Michael King Darren Mercer David Kissane 1985 Guy Leech Stephen McBean Gray Parkes 1984 Guy Leech Lawrence Reece Craig Riddington Women
Year Winner Second Third Racetime 2011 Courtney Hancock Elizabeth Pluimers - 2010 Alicia Marriott Courtney Hancock Elizabeth Pluimers - 2009 Alicia Marriott Hayley Bateup Courtney Hancock 3hrs:15.39 2008 Hayley Bateup Courtney Hancock Alyce Bennett 3hrs:18:45 2007 Alicia Marriott Elizabeth Pluimers Hayley Bateup 3hrs.22.33 2006 Hayley Bateup Kristy Harris Elizabeth Pluimers 3hrs:17:13 2005 Hayley Bateup Alicia Marriott Elizabeth Pluimers The Gold Coast Gold
In 1989, 1991 and 1995 The Uncle Toby's Super Series held their own version of the race which was the same course although it was not organised by SLSA and was not officially The Coolangatta Gold. The Uncle Toby's Gold Coast Gold was also held in the afternoon and would finish at sunset where as The Coolangatta Gold has always been raced in the morning.
It could be argued that The Gold Coast Gold was a greater race than the Coolangatta Gold as the field assembled for The Gold Coast Gold was far more elite as it was raced when the sport was at its peak and most competitors were at a professional level. The television coverage was also far more extensive.
Gold Coast Gold Results
Year Winner Second Third 1989 Guy Leech Craig Riddington Trevor Hendy 1991 Jonathan Crowe Murray Cox Jon Robinson 1995 Scott Reeves Jonathan Crowe Michael King Categories:
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