Coolangatta Gold king Ali Day convinced to tackle iconic race after devastating loss as teen

COOLANGATTA Gold king Ali Day had to be convinced to tackle the iconic race after a shattering defeat in the under-19 event.

HE’S an unbeaten in five attempts at Australia’s toughest surf sports race and unbackable favourite to win a record sixth title tomorrow.

But Ali Day was “ruined” by the Coolangatta Gold under-19 event and had to be convinced to throw himself back into the race for the open title he so coveted as an impressionable teen.

Day will race in the Surfers Paradise colours tomorrow but it was his then-Mooloolaba coach Michael King who convinced the NSW South Coast product to back his ability and believe in his training ahead of the 2012 race.

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Ali Day at North Burleigh beach ahead of the Coolangatta Gold. Photo by Richard Gosling

Day beat Alex Tibbits and Josh Minogue to the line six years ago to claim his first Gold title and start a dynasty.

And King, now head coach at Currumbin, takes no credit.

“He was only a young kid and he was still down at Warilla when he finished fifth in that under-19 one,” King said.

“He just needed some reassurance as does any good athlete who knows they’re better than their results show.

“Once he started to train and saw how good he was going, it was pretty easy from there.”

Day’s love of the race started when he was an impressionable teen watching the dominant performances of athletes like Caine Eckstein, with whom he now shares the Gold record of five wins.

So finishing fifth in the under-19s was crushing.

“It just ruined me,” Day said.

“So when Kingy said I should do it, I thought it was pretty daunting. I had gone really bad at it the last time I’d done it expecting to do well.”

Five-time Coolangatta Gold winner and defending champion Ali Day believes Surfers Paradise clubmate TJ Hendy will be one of his toughest competitors on Sunday. Photo by Richard Gosling

King said Day’s recipe for success was simple.

“He’s by far the hardest worked and he absolutely loves the event too, he’s passionate about it,” King said.

“Every year he gets himself up for this race and it’s a real credit to him with what he does.

“Every year he keeps raising the bar and it’s quite difficult for anyone out there that wants to beat him because every year he keeps finding improvements everywhere and I can see no different on the weekend.”

Where Day idolised the likes of Eckstein as a youngster, he has now become the king of the Gold and the man with a target on his back.

And as much as he wants to claim a record sixth title tomorrow, if he is able to inspire another champion, he will be almost as content.

Ali Day training for the Coolangatta Gold. Photo by Richard Gosling

“When I saw Caine (Eckstein) win, I said, no matter what happens, I’m just going to put my foot on the start line next year and hopefully I can inspire some young kids out there, wherever they’re training around Australia, to come and do the race.

“You get so much out of it in so many ways. Of course there’s that target on my back but I take that with a lot of pride.”