History beckons for multiple Coast to Coast champion Elina Ussher

Four-time Coast to Coast champion Elina Ussher will be in her element as she challenges for the title in the epic traverse across the South Island’s main divide.

Elina Ussher
Photo: Photosport

But she knows defending champion, Wanaka’s Simone Maier, is also primed for the multisport contest where athletes are on the course for 13 hours.

Ussher will compete in her 17th Longest Day race. The 45-year-old Nelsonian has plenty of competition in the elite field as she looks to equal multisport legend Kathy Lynch’s record of five wins.

Ussher and Maier, 41, are ready to show their incredible physical and mental strength, in an event which can throw up the unexpected.

Maier was drawn into multisport after a career in ironman, and also can’t wait to start. Despite signalling her intention late in the piece to compete in the 40th Anniversary event, her day job in conservation which requires her to spend plenty of time in remote New Zealand, will provide a base fitness that many of her competitors may struggle to replicate.

Simone Maier wins the Longest Day in 2021
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The lead-up to this year’s event had been highly unusual, Ussher said.

Many people were concerned there might be no race at all due to Covid-19 restrictions. Swollen rivers from heavy rainfall on the West Coast have provided an unwelcome headache, with potential changes to the course another factor.

“We’re super excited and super lucky that we’ll be racing,” Ussher said.

“I still love what I’m doing and I have been having heaps of fun during my build-up this summer.”

“You just have to focus on the whole race and whole course and have a bit of plan on how you want to be feeling at what stage.”

“Obviously the rain that we have had will change a few things. Everyone is hoping the rivers will recede quickly and we can race on the real course.”

Elina Ussher
Photo: PHOTOSPORT NZ

Fiona Dowling, Emily Wilson, ironman convert Misa Klaskova and triathlon convert Rebecca Kingsford are also considered contenders.

The first wave of competitors start from Kumara Beach early on Saturday, as they cross the divide from the West Coast through to the finish at New Brighton Beach. In the men’s longest day, Dougal Allan will defend his title, with Canterbury farmer Ryan Kiesanowski and Sam Manson also favoured.

Race director Glen Currie was disappointed to cancel the two-day event, but said there was simply no way to provide a safe event for the two-day athletes, support crew and spectators, when the decision was made last month.

Plenty of measures were being taken to reduce the risk of transmission in the one day race.

“Competitors in the Longest Day and One Day Teams categories will start in pods of less than 100,” Currie said.

Food and beverage offerings would also be cut, impacting a number of community groups that often rely on the revenue as part of their annual fundraising.

“We’ve traditionally been able to facilitate and donate up to $50,000 per event to the likes of the Springfield, Sheffield and Moana Schools, the Malvern Lions Club, Kumara Community Trust and a raft of others, but unfortunately this will have a knock-on effect,” Currie said.

Dougal Allan crosses the finish line.
Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2019 www.photosport.nz

Coast to Coast factfile

– Pioneered in 1982 by Robin Judkins, along with 11 of his mates, the 243-kilometer course from Kumara Beach on the South Island’s West Coast to New Brighton on the east is predominantly the same course today as it was 39 years ago.

– A year later, Judkins held the first official event on February 26 and 27 and while expecting around 35 competitors he was blown away by the 79 entries he received.

– In 1987, Judkins introduced ‘The Longest Day’, a one-day version of the race, designed to inspire New Zealand’s growing elite multisport community and is now widely recognized as the World Multisport Championships.

– In 2013, the event was purchased by Queenstown based Trojan Holdings and continues to create history, with over 1,200 athletes competing in 2021, and selling out in four minutes for the 2022 edition.

– Leading outdoor brand Kathmandu became title sponsors in 2015 and continue to support the event in the same role today.