Back to the fray 16 years on

SOUTHERN EXPEDITION: Bruce Baldwin is entering his fifth Speight's Coast-to-Coast after a 16-year absence, with Tom Dinwiddie one of his support crew and sponsors.PHOTO/STUART MUNRO 030114WCSMBRUCE BALDWIN1

A talk over a few beers sets vet technician a familiar goal

It has been 16 years since Bruce Baldwin has biked, run and kayaked this far for a cold beer, but the 55-year-old is all set for another tilt at the 243km that makes up New Zealand's best-known multisport race in February.

Baldwin is among around a dozen Wanganui residents and ex-pats who will tackle the 32nd running of the Speight's Coast-to-Coast, where for the first time the veteran will enter the one-day World Championship individual race.

The veterinary technician raced as an individual in the two-day version in 1994 and 1995, then as part of a two-man team in 1996 and 1998.

But he felt a bit of an obligation to have another crack at the course - a 3km run, 55km cycle, 34km mountain climb, 15km cycle, 67km river kayak and 70km cycle - as his daughter's partner, Ashley Christie, is entering for the first time as a team with Josh Payne, both 32.

"We're not backing down, just get slower and slower," Baldwin said of the expectation of looking strong in front of his daughter's man.

"I just said, over a beer, 'if I'm training with you, I might as well do it'. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be doing it."

There's also a bit of expectation as his mates at Wanganui Veterinary Services - Dave Barton and Tom Dinwiddie - came on board not only as his support crew but as primary sponsors.

Dinwiddie is the motivator, although he specialises in the tough love that is reverse psychology, while Barton is the nutritionist - which involves having a pie on standby.

Before entering the Coast-to-Coast again, he had not been training since an illness in 2001, but has plenty of experience from entering the Southern Traverse, Auckland-to-Wellington cycle ride, and the Mountains-to-Sea event which is being resurrected this April.

"I also biked down to Bluff for something to do."

Still, despite entering his fifth Coast-to-Coast, Baldwin knows the conditions on the course can change so much from year to year that past experience will be of little assistance.

"As we've got older, the memory's faded, but I've got a fair idea it's going to hurt."

There is one other Wanganui-linked competitor tackling the one-day event. Angus Watson, a 22-year-old Christchurch-based student, is back for more after his debut in 2013, when he finished in the top 20.

Hunterville farm manager Dean Hudson will also try his hand at the two-day individual race after being in a two-person team last year.

The other Wanganui entrants form into either two-person teams or the new concept of three-person teams, which were introduced for the first time last year as a way to drum up falling numbers for the event.

One of those teams was even mentioned in the official press release this week which highlighted the different geographical locations of the 431 confirmed entrants, and what they do for a living.

"The oddest combination of professions might belong to Wanganui three-person team, Kerry Bennett [optometrist], Chris Cresswell [doctor] and Kerry McGuiness [builder].

"Interesting, builders are also one of the biggest professional groups in the event."

The 32nd Coast-to-Coast is scheduled for February 14-15.

Racing starts on Kumara Beach, midway between Hokitika and Greymouth, and finishes 243km later on Sumner Beach in Christchurch.

There are 150 entrants for the feature Multisport World Championship - a mixture of "weekend warriors" and world class athletes - which is on the Saturday, February 15.

The two-day event for individuals and teams starts the day before with the cycle and mountain run, then finishes the next day with the cycle, kayak and cycle sections.

Wanganui entrants are: Angus Watson, Bruce Baldwin (one-day individual); Haig Elgar, Ashley Christie, Josh Payne (two-person teams); Matt Foster, Antony Rountree, Craig Wills, Kerry McGuinness, Chris Cresswell, Kerry Bennett (three-person teams). Hunterville: Dean Hudson (two-day individual).