Ussher has claws out for ‘catfight’
PS AL N R E H T U O S
If reigning Coast to Coast women’s champion Elina Ussher is retain her title, she’ll have to beat a three-time world champion to do so.
Ussher goes into this weekend’s Longest Day event looking to keep her crown as women’s champion and secure it for a record-equalling fifth time. But she’ll face strong competition, with three-time adventure racing world champion and two-time Coast to Coast winner Sophie Hart among the title contenders.
Competing in her 13th straight Coast to Coast, Ussher said she had been training well and was ready for the challenge.
“It is a super strong women’s field this year and I’ll be racing against young, determined girls so it will be a tough one but I have a lot of experience about the race that definitely is one of my strengths,” she said.
The 41-year-old welcomed the strong women’s field, and said it provided extra motivation and incentive to have a good race.
“I think it will be a tough day on Saturday, a real catfight. I have a few different race plans on my mind but most often you just have to listen to your body and race smart and by doing that you most likely get the best result out of yourself.”
The Coast to Coast two-day event starts on Serpentine Beach, Kumara, south of Greymouth at 7am today, with the Longest Day competition getting under way tomorrow at 6am. The races finish at New Brighton beach in Christchurch.
Leading Australian multi-sport athletes Alex Hunt and James Pretto, and Kiwi Bobby Dean loomed as men’s defending Longest Day champion Sam Clark’s biggest challenges. Clark stormed home last year on the final bike leg to claim back-to-back wins, and was looking to complete his hat-trick this weekend.
Clark said he had a steady buildup and with tomorrow being his seventh Coast to Coast he was starting to feel like “an old hand now.”
“I’m feeling good,” he said.