Coastal classic

About 1000 people took on the challenge of running, cycling and kayaking across the South Island in the Coast to Coast multisport event. Photographer Iain McGregor went along to record the 2020 edition of New Zealand’s great race.

It’s a well-established fixture in the sporting calendar, but the annual Coast to Coast multisport event’s longevity hasn’t always been so assured. About five years ago support for the so-called ‘‘Longest Day’’ in New Zealand sport (or two days if you’re not quite at the elite level) had dropped to the point where there were about 500 competitors all up, said spokesman George Berry.

This year there are more than 1000 people taking part – about 200 in the elite level – who will tackle the running, cycling, kayaking odyssey from Kumara Beach on the West Coast all the way 243km across the spine of the South Island to New Brighton Beach in Christchurch.

Berry says the event is ‘‘in vogue again’’ in part because Coast to Coast has now become inter-generational.

‘‘We’ve got a lot of athletes where guys want to beat their dad’s time. And socially, it’s a bloody good time.’’

Berry says the multisport community is like no other and is epitomised by how athletes and supporters help each other out. If someone’s missing a piece of equipment or a part, others invariably step in to help.’’

The 2020 edition is the 38th and over that time there have been more than 25,000 entries. Many of them are veterans of the course, with one athlete notching up his 26th effort this year.

Berry says part of the appeal of the Coast to Coast for many people is that it is achievable for a lot of people, it just needs to be broken down into parts.

That’s not to say it’s easy at all, competitors have to put in the training time, and make sacrifices.

‘‘You’ve got to put in a lot of work just to get to the start line.’’

He says because completing the event is often a life goal for people seeing the elation when people realise they have reached their goal is something to savour, not just for the athletes.

‘‘Some of that euphoria, that feeling, it seems to last longer in the Coast to Coast.’’

It’s always an early start for people taking a part in the Coast to Coast, which starts on the West Coast’s Kumara Beach, and ends at Christchurch’s New Brighton beach.

Competitors on day one’s running, above, and cycling legs, below, were blessed with fine weather as they worked their way across the South Island.

Some competitors are in better spirits than others during the race.