Coolangatta Gold 2023 favourites, athletes to watch and newcomers in surf life saving endurance test
From first timers to the favourites, there’s one experience every competitor in the 2023 Coolangatta Gold will share - pain. Race preview, guns to watch, interesting facts ahead of the surf enduro
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Some do it for the challenge, others to race with mates and some because it’s their job as elite athletes.
But Georgia Ray has a different reason for racing at the famous Coolangatta Gold two-day event on the Gold Coast this weekend - she wants to be with her dad.
While the likes of Carla Papac and Ali Day are back to defend their crowns, Ray is stepping on to the start line for the first time.
Ray, who lives on the NSW Central Coast but races for the Shelley Beach surf life saving club on the northern beaches is competing in her first short course race this year with the aim of joining father Craig in the double-the-distance long course in 2024.
“This was something to do with dad. We’ve got a good relationship and a lot of that is because of surf life saving,’’ said the primary schoolteacher.
Ray said she has watched the famous movie which inspired the race “a billion times” but is unsure what to expect - just that it will be painful.
“The first year dad did it, it was horrendous and the second was flat and lovely,’’ she said.
“I’m just praying for a tailwind home.’’
The 2023 event is the 21st for men and the 17th for women after their race was introduced in 2005.
The race was developed for the now iconic movie which came out in 1984, centring on the relationship between two racing brothers.
NSW South Coast athlete Ali Day, now based on the Sunshine Coast, has an extraordinary eight wins in the Coolangatta Gold with Gold Coaster Cane Eckstein on five.
Courtney Hancock stands alone as a four-time winner of the women’s race while Liz Pluimbers, Hayley Bateup and Alicia Marriot have won three each.
Carla Papac, originally from Wanda but now on the Sunshine Coast, caused a boilover last year to win the women’s race.
An injured Ali Day pulled off an eighth win.
This year’s women’s field is stacked with previous champions in Papac, Hancock, Georgia Miller and top swimmer Lana Rogers.
Day and last year’s runner-up Matt Bevilacqua are both back for the 2023 event along with northern beaches gun Kendrick Louis, Corey Taylor, Wes Gould and Finn Askew.
Louis, a senior statesman of surf life saving, has made two attempts on this race but has been unable to crack the podium with an 11th last year and a fourth in 2016?
SURF STARS TO WATCH IN COOLANGATTA GOLD
Ali Day
Club/state: Surfers Paradise, QLD
Previous result: 1st in 2022 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Swim
Kendrick Louis
Club/state: Manly, NSW
Previous result: 11th (2019 Coolangatta Gold)
Strongest leg: Swim
Cory Taylor
Club/state: BMD Northcliffe, QLD
Reigning ironman world champion
Strongest leg: Ski
Matt Bevilacqua
Club/state: BMD Northcliffe, QLD
Previous result: 2nd in 2022 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Board
Finn Askew
Club/state: Surfers Paradise, QLD
Previous result: 7th in 2022 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Swim
Carla Papac
Club/state: Noosa Heads, QLD
Previous result: 1st in 2022 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Ski
Courtney Hancock
Club/state: Surfers Paradise, QLD
Previous result: 2nd in 2022 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Swim
Georgia Miller
Club/state: BMD Northcliffe, QLD
Previous result: 3rd in 2021 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Swim
Lana Rogers
Club/state: BMD Northcliffe, QLD
Previous result; 3rd in 2022 Coolangatta Gold
Strongest leg: Swim
Tiarnee Massie
Club/state: Maroochydore, QLD
Previous result: never contested long course
Strongest leg: Board
COOLANGATTA GOLD SCHEDULE
The short course race is on Saturday with the youth challenge and downwind paddle.
The long course race is on Sunday.
The shortcourse race involves a 1.5km ski, 2km swim, 3km board and 5.5km run for a total of 21 km of racing.
The long course is an endurance race and involves 41.8 km of racing from Coolangatta to Broadbeach – a 23km ski, 1km run, 3.5km swim, 6.1km board and 8.2 km run.
COOLANGATTA GOLD COMPETITORS BY STATE
SHORT COURSE INDIVIDUAL
QLD - 71, NSW - 92, VIC - 5, TAS - 14, WA - 1, SA - 5, NT
LONG COURSE INDIVIDUAL
NSW - 27, VIC - 2, QLD - 31, SA - 1, WA - 3
DOWNWIND PADDLE
NSW - 39, VIC - 4, QLD - 53, WA - 2, TAS - 6
LONG COURSE TEAMS
NSW - 12, VIC - 1, QLD - 3
SHORT COURSE TEAMS
NSW - 45, QLD - 40, TAS - 4
YOUTH CHALLENGE
NSW - 152, VIC - 2, QLD - 218, SA - 3, WA - 4, TAS - 21
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