Coolangatta Gold: How 2021 surf life saving race will go ahead and course changes
A decision has been made on one of Australia’s most iconic sporting events - the famous Coolangatta Gold.
Local Sport
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Rain, hail or Covid border restrictions - the famous surf life saving event, the Coolangatta Gold, will go ahead this year but it will look a bit different from past editions.
Alongside a major makeover of the course for 2021, there might not be many competitors racing from interstate - including NSW, a state which has produced multiple elite and age group winners in recent times.
But Surf Life Saving Australia has opted to forge ahead with the multi-endurance race made famous by the movie of the same name, after being forced to cancel in 2020 due to the global pandemic.
Organisers have shifted the race from its traditional October window to November 13-14 as potential competitors wait for more clarification on the opening of the Queensland border to other states and territories.
SLSA national sports director Wayne Druery has also confirmed the changes to the course so the event can go ahead.
With many volunteers unsure if they can cross the border for the event, SLSA needed to adjust to reduce the number of race officials and volunteers required without compromising on safety.
“It will still be the same distance but we will be out and back and use a single transition,’’ he said of the 42km race which normally traverses its way from Coolangatta to a finish at Surfers Paradise with numerous transitions along the route.
“For obvious reasons we won’t have the normal staff on the ground, the same base of volunteers, IRBs etc. But we want it as safe as possible and instead of having the ribs covering 23km up the coast we are effectively halving that distance for them.
“While we are uncertain on when borders will reopen in Queensland, we are working to deliver the 2021 Coolangatta Gold and that means thinking differently about how we do this,’’
“Our hope is that anyone who wants to take part in the Coolangatta Gold will be able to attend, but in these uncertain times we need to forge ahead to give those who are able to take part the opportunity to race.’’
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