Chafing, a heavy stomach and a decent dose of Vaseline fail to dent enthusiasm of ‘old-school’ Coast to Coaster

If there’s one aspect of sports racing from the 1980s Matty Graham does not want to experience again, it’s the chafing.

Graham, a Wānaka-based sports scientist, was among a record 1330 athletes to compete in the Coast to Coast at the weekend.

Unlike his fellow competitors, Graham used gear strictly from the 1983 era, the year the race was born – including the stubbie shorts that rubbed relentlessly against his thigh.

“I went through a lot of Vaseline but there’s still a decent hole,” he said.

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“It’s all part of it. I knew a lot of people got chafing in 1983. I’d be a bit disappointed if I didn’t.”

Competing in the two-day event, he finished in a respectable time of just over 16 hours and said he was delighted with the experience.

Meanwhile Christchurch multisport athlete Sam Manson won the sought after Longest Day title on Saturday in the 243km race from Kumara on the West Coast to New Brighton Beach in Christchurch, in a time of 11:40:15.

The 31-year-old took the overall title in his 11th crack at the event.

All Blacks great Richie McCaw and his Olympic gold medallist rowing mate Nathan Cohen won the men’s two-day tandem race in 13:41:17.

Graham said his 10-speed French bike was a great talking point with fellow competitors, who were mostly riding carbon fibre bikes in lycra gear.

The rudderless kayak gave him the opportunity to “connect” with the river as he was forced to go with the flow.

He was underwhelmed with the 1983 diet, including scroggin, dried apricots, fruit cake, ginger nuts, lamb chops and cold sausages.

Running Goat’s Pass with a heavy stomach and wearing limited edition New Balance shoes, which offered almost no support for running, was not easy.

“What I’ve read and been told is that people didn’t put a lot of thought into their nutrition then.”

A delighted Manson was over seven minutes clear of Ryan Kiesanowski who was second in 11:47:36, while Alex Hunt completed the podium in 11:56:13.

Defending champion Simone Maier powered home to win the women’s race in an impressive 13:11:18, 14 minutes clear of Fiona Dowling (13:25:19), with Rebecca Kingsford (13:37:01) back in third. It was the Wānaka-based multi sporter’s fourth victory.

Calum Sutherland won the men’s two-day individual race in 11:58:21, and Estelle Arundell (13:33:12) claimed the women’s two-day honours.