40th Kathmandu Coast to Coast
New Teams Event seen as a Success, Despite Challenges
Press Release / 15.02.2022
Team OSM have inked their name into Kathmandu Coast to Coast history, becoming the inaugural winners of the One Day Teams category.
40 years after the first competitors took to the start line, creating a culture of multisport racing in New Zealand and around the world, 14 teams did the same in the new Mixed Teams category, where Hamish Elliott, Rachel Clarke, and Louis Crosby completed the 243-kilometre course in 9 hours 57 minutes 05.
Elliott, a Twizel-based builder blitzed the 30.5-kilometre mountain run faster than any other competitor on the day in 2:57:27, after cyclist Crosbie set the team up by completing the first cycle leg in 1 hour 37 minutes and 21 seconds, only a minute down on the elite men competing in the Longest Day.
With the flood ravaged Waimakariri Gorge ruled out, forcing a course change, Crosbie had to endure a further forty km on the second bike leg up the Craigieburn cutting and over Porters Pass, before Auckland’s Rachel Clark, one of New Zealand’s best female paddlers was unleashed on the 30 km stretch of the lower Waimak. “They both absolutely smashed their sections of the race; poor Louis has had to do a bit more cycling, but I think we all did great as a team.” Said Clark.
“I had never kayaked that section of the river, so it was something pretty new for me, but it’s pretty special that this has been able to go ahead. It’s a pretty special event, there’s so many people down here racing. It’s a crazy time in the world right now, so we were very lucky to have this.”
Elliott agreed as he reached the finish of his run at Klondyke. “It was a great atmosphere on the course, everyone was making way, the rivers had their challenges, but all and all it was a great run.”
“The competition was great; the new category is a real credit to the event. It gives you something different, whilst still feeling very much a part of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast.”
Enjoying it so much, it’s whetted his appetite for a possible return to the Longest Day in the future. “It’s a beast of an event, but very grateful to be back, it’s cool to be racing here and I’m inspired to come back and maybe race as an individual again.”
Team EMDA captained by previous Mountain Run winner Ben Williams came home in second, stopping the clock in 10 hours 57.02. While team Earshots, led by David Jaggs claimed the final podium spot in 11:10:53.
Race Director Glen Currie said, “It was great to be able to add something different to the Kathmandu Coast to Coast, there was real intrigue around how the race would pan out, and I think it’s been a great addition.”
“We’ve had a lot of interest in this category from overseas, from specialist athletes, so I can only see this event getting stronger in the future, once the borders reopen.”
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