Coolangatta Gold: Surf legend Darren Mercer helps Carla Papac to upset win, Ali Day’s record eighth

It was hard to find anyone not backing Ali Day to win an eighth Coolangatta Gold - even with an injury. But it was a different matter in the women’s race.

2022 Coolangatta Gold winners Carla Papac and Ali Day. Pic: Surf Life Saving Australia

Carla Papac was so buggered at the end of the gruelling 41.8km Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold she barely had the energy to acknowledge the biggest win of her surf life saving career.

The ironwoman from Sydney’s south broke through for the upset victory in the famous endurance race on Sunday by edging out multiple winner Courtney Hancock and super talent Lana Rogers.

The win came four months after Papac relocated from Cronulla to Noosa where she now trains under former ironman star Darren Mercer, who made the move north from his home in Wollongong to the Sunshine Coast numerous years ago.

It also came as a shock to many followers of the sport who had backed either Hancock or Rogers to claim the title in the tough multi-endurance race.

But not to Papac.

Carla Papac after winning the Coolangatta Gold.

“This is amazing. Without sounding too cocky I kind of did expect to do well,’’ she said.

"I am more of an endurance athlete. The first time I did this four years ago I got fourth and I told myself then I can win this one day.’’

Papac, who has also trained under former world ironman Nathan Smith in Sydney in the past, moved north to further her surf life saving career and to work as an exercise physiologist with the seachange payign dividends on Sudnay.

2022 Coolangatta Gold winners Carla Papac and Ali Day. Picture credit: Surf Life Saving Australia

“It was such a relief to get across the line,’’ she said.

“Even though I had 100m on Courtney I didn't want to walk.

“But when I crossed the line I was almost too exhausted to claim it.

Less unexpected was Day’s victory - for an eighth time - even with a 7am tear in his calf and having to stop for 30 seconds to tape the injury.

Day, from the NSW south coast but now based in Queensland, finished the race in 3:57:49.

Ali Day winning the Coolangatta Gold.

“I had to be really vulnerable today and lay it on the line, I had a lot to lose winning it seven times,’’ Day said.

“I couldn’t go back to sleep last night, thinking ‘what if it [calf] blows up in the first run leg and I still have to do the swim in the board’.

“It held up for the first run leg, but I really started to notice it … almost instantly.

“I stopped for almost 30 seconds [in the run leg] to tape it up so I took that risk as well.

“I’m just lost for words, I’m stoked I was able to pull that one off.’’

2019 Coolangatta Gold champion Matt Bevilacqua finished second with New Zealander Joe Collins third.

Papac took 4hrs 27min to compete the women’s race.

Originally published as Coolangatta Gold: Surf legend Darren Mercer helps Carla Papac to upset win, Ali Day’s record eighth