Physical education student tackles demanding Coolangatta Gold

Oct 20, 2006

Second year UOW Bachelor of Physical Education student and Bulli Surf Lifesaving Club member, Ben Allen, scored an impressive 10th spot in the challenging Coolangatta Gold surf life saving event held recently in Queensland. Fifty three male competitors took part in this year’s event.

Ben, the University of Wollongong’s sole representative, improved an impressive 15 places over his 25th spot in the 2005 Coolangatta Gold which involves competitors racing against each other from Surfers Paradise to Coolangatta and return.

The Coolangatta Gold consists of a 23km surf ski, a beach run of 0.65km, a 3.5km surf swim, a 4km beach run, a 5.5km board paddle and finally a 10km beach run. Athletes must complete the four disciplines in succession within a five-hour time frame. Ben’s time was 4hrs 37min. Zane Holmes from Queensland won the event with a time of 4hrs 25min.

Ben said he had been training for five and a half months up and down the Wollongong coastline, in the surf and sand.

“I was physically and mentally prepared to tackle the 46.6km ironman race,” he said.

“The Gold is a tough event and there are so many factors that can make or break you. That is why you have to be on your game and focused throughout the whole event as one mistake could cost you the race,” Ben said.

Ben said swimming into a north easterly wind was probably the hardest part of the event as he found himself constantly choking on water.

But he plans to line up for next year’s Coolangatta Gold with the aim of improving on his 10th spot this year.