Ecksteins say Dean example was Gold
COOLANGATTA Gold king Caine Eckstein has made an emotional tribute to Dean Mercer as his brother Shannon emerges as a strong contender for the only major title that has eluded him in a glittering career.
Eckstein, who is holidaying in Bali, took to Instagram to pay tribute to Mercer, who he beat to the line to claim the Gold in 2009 – the second of his record five titles.
“Dean Mercer brought out the best in me every time we raced or trained together,” Caine said under a picture of Mercer crossing the line in the 2009 race.
“This was my favourite race and we both cross the finish line with a huge smile on our faces knowing we brought out the best in each other. “Will miss ya Deano! RIP.” Mercer died on Monday following a car crash after suffering a heart attack at the wheel.
He and brother Darren were surf lifesaving royalty during the sport’s peak in the 1980s and ’90s, both winning the Kellogg’s ironman series – a feat also achieved by the Eckstein brothers in the 2000s.
And while Caine will not compete in the Gold this year, Shannon Eckstein is firming as a starter in one of the few races to be missing from his sparkling resume.
An eight-time Kellogg’s series winner, eight-time Australia ironman champion and sixtime world champion, Shannon is regarded by most as the greatest ironman of all time.
While he finished second in the Gold in 2007 to Rhys Drury, Shannon has avoided the race for several years due to popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, a condition in which the dominant source of blood supply to the leg below the knee becomes compressed and leads to cramping and calf pain during exercise.
But successful surgery earlier this year is likely to allow him to complete the final 7.1km run leg relatively pain-free and he is likely to confirm his entry by the race deadline on September 15.
And he hopes to be racing in an event in which Mercer is officially recognised.
“I trained with Dean for a couple of years at Northcliffe when he did the Gold and saw how passionate he was about that race,” Shannon said.
“He had lots of leg injuries and calf injuries and he’d never give up.
“You’d think, ‘Jeez, this guy’s in his late 30s and he’s still going strong and wants to do something that bad’.
“I’m sure there will be some sort of tribute.”
Surfers Paradise ironman Ali Day has won the Gold four times and is likely to head into this year’s race as favourite, even if Shannon enters.
“Training’s going pretty well. I’m pretty sure I’m going to do it … I’m doing all the training for it,” he said.
“Running is coming along really well.
“Next year would probably be more of a year to have a really good crack at it, just more time to rehab the legs but everything has gone really well since the operation and there’s no reason why I can’t do it.
“Swim, board, ski is going really well.
“The running is coming along and in another five weeks (before the race), I still hope to improve a little bit.
“Whether it’s fast enough to win I’m not sure.”