40th Kathmandu Coast to Coast
Late Entry sees Three Time Champion Currie back at Kathmandu Coast to Coast
Press Release / 11.02.2022
A last-minute entry will see three-time champion Braden Currie stand on the start line of tomorrow's Kathmandu Coast to Coast World Multisport Championship, for the first time in seven years.
With next month's Ironman New Zealand now cancelled and the kayak leg of the Longest Day being significantly reduced, or even scrapped due to high river levels, Currie saw an opportunity to race and made a welcomed SOS call to the event owners Mike Davies. “I’ve been trying to get him to come back and race for years, but his focus has been in Ironman, the timings often clashed and also the skills required such as swimming versus kayaking in the Kathmandu Coast to Coast aren’t all that compatible I guess.”
“But it’s great to have him back and let’s see how he goes.”
Race Director Glen Currie, said that while he’s pleased to have his younger brother back on the start line, he had some sage advice for the former champ. “This is the World Championship race, and we want the best people on the start-line, so if he’s prepared to race, even with a limited build up, then I think it’ll make for a great spectacle.”
“But Braden will find it tough, for sure he’s one of the top ironmen of the country but running over Goat Pass when your body isn’t used to it is very taxing. He’ll come out of there feeling it for sure, and then he’s got to sit on a bike for 130kms or more.”
“There’s real depth in our field, possibly more so than when he and I were racing the Kathmandu Coast to Coast, he’s coming up against some amazing athletes that have trained hard all summer and they’ve prepared for tomorrow's race. I think they still have just as much chance of winning as they did yesterday.”
The late entry is also set to test old friendships, with Currie now set to square off against great mate and two-time defending champion Dougal Allan, “My view hasn’t changed, you want to race on the best course against the best athletes, so I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s race.”
Braden last won the Coast to Coast in 2015, and finished 2nd in 2017, the first year he competed in both triathlon events and the Kathmandu Coast to Coast.
Competitors have been made aware that the high river levels in the Waimakariri Gorge have now made that unsafe to kayak down, so the B kayak course has been actioned. This will see competitors cycles from Klondyke to Thompsons road
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