Speight’s Coast to Coast Beating Recession

News Release / 20.01.2009

As the world around us suffers through the worst economic recession of the last 20 years, endurance junkies from all ends of New Zealand and the world are ignoring their bank balance and heading south for New Zealand’s challenge of choice – the annual Speight’s Coast to Coast.

Six months ago, when Speight’s Coast to Coast race director, Robin Judkins, opened entries for 2009’s 27th running of his world famous race across New Zealand’s South Island, he was nervous. A global economic recession was on the horizon and adventure sport is one of the most expensive pastimes around.

“I was sitting there wondering whether the economic downturn would translate into a downtown in the Speight’s Coast to Coast,” says Judkins… “But apparently people today value their health and fitness and lifestyle as much as their finances.”

As the world continues to trumpet its financial woes, Robin Judkins is over the moon with entries for the 2009 Speight’s Coast to Coast, scheduled this year for February 13 and 14.

“As of January 13 we have 766 entries for this year’s Speight’s Coast to Coast,” says Judkins. “This is only 3.7 percent down on 2008, which given the current economic climate is bloody extraordinary.”

“Last year we had 795 competitors in the event. Right now we are still receiving entries every day, so there is every chance we may have much the same entry as last year despite all the doom and gloom.”

“Even I’m surprised by this great entry,” says Judkins, who has organised the 243k cycle, mountain run and white water kayaking race across the South Island since 1983.

In the 27 years of the Speight’s Coast to Coast Judkins and his event have weathered three economic downturns.

“The first was after the 1987 stock market crash,” he says. “After that we had a 10 percent downturn in entries. And then in the late 1990s the Asian economic meltdown also saw around 10 percent less entries. But this current recession, which is hitting New Zealanders much more personally, seems to be having very little effect on the event.”

Judkins thinks this speaks volumes about the place of both health and fitness and the Speight’s Coast to Coast in New Zealand society.

“I think fitness and recreation are more ingrained in New Zealand society than ever before. Yes, there’s an economic recession, but people are putting more priority on their fitness and lifestyle goals and the Speight’s Coast to Coast is an event that many New Zealander’s have on their lifestyle wish list.”