About now the competitors will be well into their mountain run section of Coast to Coast One Day Event, famously referred to as "The Longest Day". Today will be the 26th Longest Day for the race organiser, Robin Judkins. …
Coast to Coast is a multi-sport event very unique to New Zealand, and according to some, the world first of such events. Quoting from Wikipedia article:
… It is so named as it traverses from the West coast to the East coast of South Island, and features running, cycling and kayaking elements over a total of 243 km (151 mi)….
According to the official website, the event started as:
… the brain child of Robin Judkins. In 1982, along with 11 mates he pioneered the same 243km course which is used today. The first official race was held less than a year later on February 26 and 27, 1983. Judkins had planned for a field of 35 but was surprised when 79 entries were received.
In 1987 Robin Judkins introduced “The Longest Day”, a one day version of the race designed to keep the elite multisport athletes motivated and inspired.
This aerial map (2.2MB .pdf) shows the entire course of the race and the terrains competitors have to travel on through.
In my early days in New Zealand, I was a resident of Christchurch and had an amateur photographer friend who wanted to shoot pictures of the event. I tagged along and took some shots myself. It was a great day, concluded in Sumner Beach under beautiful afternoon sun. I still cherish the memories of the Longest Day. 🙂
:coffee:
p.s. many :beer: after "The Longest Day" 😀
:eyes: 😎 :yes: :cheers:
Cheers, Michal. :happy:Yes. The race is sponsored by a beer company and the race organiser Judkins welcome every competitor at the finish line with an open can of their beer (brand name Speights) They had 500+ competitors this year, I think, at peak it was over 800. Now that's a lot of beer. 😀
:beer: :cheers:
:doh: :drunk: 😀
Thats a lot of effort for one can of beer :faint:
😆 I know. Must be desperate! :pDid you check out the big pic? That's young Steve Gurney on the podium (left page middle row) 😀
Triathlon :yikes: The course of the race looks amazing :hat:
Better than triathlon 😀 Apparently the weather plays a big role in how the race turns out. A few years ago the one day event had to be cut short because of a storm and raising river level.
Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:
What is the difference between 'multi-sport of three endurance' and 'triathlon' :confused: I have understood triathlon is what the name says: sports of three endurance.
Coast to Coast has four elements over six sections:Run – Cycle – Mountain run – Cycle – Kayak – CycleTriathlon has three elements (Normally Swim, Cycle & Run) over three sections https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triathlon
Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:
OK :up: I did not read the pages you linked careful enough and based on map you gave I thought there are three elementshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MultisportSo, basically its number of sections that makes the difference then.
Originally posted by serola:
As stated in the Wikipedia page, triathlon is composed of swim – cycle – run in that order. Distances for respective sections may vary but the event type and order are the same. The most notable difference in Coast to Coast is that it does not have the swim section. Although you could end up swimming in river, if you slip rock hopping in the first part of the Mountain run section or flip your kayak. 😉
Originally posted by mimi_s_mum:
That is a very narrow definition of the concept, and according Rowlands and Downey that is only most common form of triathlon. In general triathlon only means "three contest" aka contest of three different sports. But indeed it is better to stick with more general concept of 'multi.sport'.Rowlands and Downey (2000). Physiology of Triathlon. In Exercise and sport science. Edited by Garrett, William E.; Kirkendall, Donald T. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 919
Originally posted by serola:
I don't agree. But I won't stop you from believing so. Have a good day.
Sorry MM if I sounded stubborn 😮 Its just a scientist in me that became interested in meaning of word 'triathlon' :)What I meant is 'multisport' is much better word to describe this Coast to Coast contest after all :up: My mistake in the first place.
🙂
Great post! :up: My muscles grew achey just looking at the map for the event. :eyes:
😆 I know! Quite a feet isn't it? When I lived in Chch in my early 30s, I did try the last cycling section (70km) by myself. I had to do a return trip, which took me almost 5 hours :eyes: Can't imagine now how I managed. I was young.