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Innovation during lock down
Competitors find inventive ways to train during lockdown.
Whilst late autumn and winter are often times that athletes hibernate a little, Currie says he’s seen plenty of evidence online of ingenuity taking place to design indoor trainers, training close to people’s homes and lots of race and nutrition planning.
“The lockdown was a time of uncertainty for many of us, our team and event included, but having something like the Kathmandu Coast to Coast to focus on has clearly been a welcome distraction for many of the competitors,” said Currie.
Matt Calman, who was the final competitor to cross the finish line in 17 hours in 2020, designed his own wind trainer out of odds and ends he had laying around his garage and an old set of training wheels. “It wasn’t the smoothest ride, but it was quite fun,” said Calman. “I got quite a lot of use out of a 100 kg squat bar that I made out of a length of wood and two supermarket bags filled with sand from my kid’s sandpit though.”
Despite the bitter cold spell in Canterbury and other parts of the South Island, Kayak training companies have been in full swing conducting grade two certificate courses, a pre-requisite for competitors.
“We had to cancel about 4 of the four-day grade 2 learner courses and a bunch of skills days,” said Kayak Instructor and long-time competitor Sam Manson. “Fortunately, we have been able to reschedule 95% them, but that now means we have a huge load of work on, on top of the normal scheduled trips and courses in the spring. We have had to source more qualified instructors to assist the increase in courses in spring that were transferred from the Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown.”
With the 2021 event selling out in record time, Currie said they had not seen too much disruption to the competitor list. “Depending on how and when the borders open there might be some international competitors withdraw, but we’ve kept our communication pretty open with those that have entered from outside of New Zealand and will continue to support them in any way we can, whether it be for this coming event or the next.”
Currie also added a great deal of thanks to title sponsor Kathmandu, who despite their own tough times have continued to offer their support to the event. ‘Kathmandu have been great, we’ve been working really hard behind the scenes to come up with a series of ‘what ifs’ in regard to social distancing and other things that might eventuate and to know we have their support is a very pleasing position to be in. we couldn’t run the Kathmandu Coast to Coast without that kind of support.”
The media team don’t usually let me near the article and press release aspect of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast, and technically, at this time of the year, I should be revising the Health and Safety Plan and finalising operation issues. But one of the reasons I love this job and the event so much is due to the ‘Elite Category’. So, I’m going to pull rank and share my opinions on the race this year.
How would you celebrate 30 years since receiving a life-saving liver transplant? By lining up to tackle the iconic Kathmandu Coast to Coast, of course!
Surviving a perilously close encounter with mortality, Campbell Gray, an inspirational 20-year-old from Jervoistown, Napier, is poised to leave his mark on the 2024 Kathmandu Coast to Coast.
In what promises to be one of the most thrilling showdowns in recent history, the Kathmandu Coast to Coast anticipates an electrifying battle in the Women's Longest Day category.
In a remarkable display of resilience and determination, renowned amputee Shaz Dagg, also known as Limb-it-less Shaz, is attempting to make history as the first female amputee to complete the Kathmandu Coast to Coast as an individual.
In a strategic move to foster the next generation of multisport athletes, The Kathmandu Coast to Coast, New Zealand's iconic multisport event, proudly announces the introduction of the 'Elite Youth' division in the Two-Day individual race.
There’s almost a sort of “Hotel California” thing going with the Kathmandu Coast to Coast: “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.” People get hooked, and they keep coming back, either working their way through the various events and age groups or targeting personal bests year by year. Two-time champion Kristina Anglem did manage to check out and for the most part, has left, but not before generating an awful lot of goodwill with fellow competitors, officials and general supporters. Competing initially under her maiden name, Kristina Strode Penny only raced the Coast to Coast on four occasions. Still, she certainly cast a long (warm) shadow over the race and ushered in a new younger group of women who would dominate the event in the years to come. Growing up in Wellington, Kristina’s initial sporting passion was gymnastics, but she retired at the ripe old age of 11. “After that, I always yearned to be out in nature. I would take myself off for walks or runs along the eastern walkway. Wellington is loaded with walkways.” Her two older brothers were keen on bashing about in the outdoors, and one arranged for a mountain bike for his sister. “I rode all the trails, and around the same time, I got into rock climbing and joined the Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club.” Helicopter parents in the new millennium would be horrified by the teenage Kristina’s next move into outdoor sports. “We lived by the sea and got given an old kayak – an old canvas thing that I laugh at now. I would take myself out into the bay and figure out how to roll, then off and yonder in the sea! Looking back at some of those things now as a parent, I’m glad my Mum didn’t have a clue what was going on! I’d paddle out to these rocks and come back – miss the Picton ferry by chance!”
Are you a high school student in New Zealand with a thirst for adventure and a love for the outdoors?
In our second episode of Season 5 Richard Greer from TeamCP provides some key insights including how to best manage your bike, running and kayaking training six months out from race day, along with an event update from our Race Director Glen Currie. Plus, we have previous podcast guest Sophie Beaumont sharing tips and tricks for first-time athletes. Listen online here
The Kathmandu Coast to Coast, New Zealand’s iconic multisport event, recognises the invaluable role of New Zealand's Backcountry Huts in ensuring the enjoyment of all those who experience the wild places of Aotearoa.
