Multisport: Ussher in a new era

Richard Ussher finishes the mountain run section on his way to victory in the Speight's Coast to Coast yesterday. Picture / Fotopress

Mogul skiers are used to bumps and slippery slopes but it was a relatively smooth ride for Queenstown's Richard Ussher, who finally won the Holy Grail of multisport at his fourth attempt.

Without incomparable nine-time winner Steve Gurney and following the withdrawal of pre-race favourite George Christison, who succumbed to a chest infection at the start of the kayak leg, the 28-year-old former Winter Olympics mogul skier powered away to finish more than 10 minutes ahead of Auckland's Gordon Walker. Ross Rotherham was a further 30 seconds back in third.

The smile on Ussher's face was as wide as his lead as he ambled down the sand at Sumner Beach, where he was greeted in customary fashion by event creator Robin Judkins wielding a can of Speight's beer.

"It was magic, I'm so rapt," said a relatively refreshed looking Ussher, almost belying the fact that he had punished his body for 234km from one coast of the South Island to the other over nearly 12 hours. "I have always gone out and tried to bust everything on the run but today I just ran within myself the whole way. So when I finished the run I felt really great. Everything just worked today and I felt so strong.

"My biggest unknown was whether I could stick with George on the run but he had a few problems today, unfortunately."

Christison virtually crawled over Goat Pass where he received medical attention from the husband of women's winner Kristina Anglem (nee Strode-Penny) and lost further time on the run before withdrawing at the start of the kayak leg.

Ussher and Rotherham led the field over the 1067m-high Goat Pass and to the end of the 33km mountain run before Ussher made his move on the short 15km cycle ride preceding the kayak leg. By the time he emerged from the river four hours later, the Queenstown-based athlete and fulltime adventure-racer had amassed a commanding 11-minute lead he never surrendered.

Although Gurney was absent from the race for the first time in 21 years due to an ankle injury, it was while watching the Coast to Coast on TV that inspired Ussher to turn his back on skiing and take up multisport.

"I decided I had done as much as I could in skiing. I saw Steve Gurney on TV and he didn't look that fast so I thought I would be able to get him."

Unlike Gurney, who said he would never be back after each of his wins, Ussher knew exactly what his plans would be next year: "I'll be back for sure."

One of the most remarkable performances of the day came from Ussher's professional adventure racing team-mate Anglem, who blitzed the women's field to finish 44 minutes ahead of Sally Fahey and sixth overall. The pair went into the run together, but Anglem quickly opened a commanding lead and continued to increase her lead throughout the race.

"I had a bit of an aim at the start to finish in the top 10, but I'm just ecstatic. I had such a fantastic day and such a clean race," the 30-year-old Anglem said. "It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime races, probably. Maybe I will have five of them if I'm really lucky.

"The conditions weren't particularly favourable because I was gunning for the record as well, but it's a fantastic end to the season and now I can take a break."

Christison's withdrawal meant New Zealand were ineligible for the inaugural world team's challenge despite having both the men's and women's winner, effectively handing the title to an Australian team headed by champion surf lifesaver Guy Andrews.

New Zealand had been favourites to win the trophy, but all three competitors in the two-men and one-woman teams had to finish.

Luke Vaughan won the individual two-day competition, finishing 32 minutes ahead of Cameron Carter and Duncan Hamilton.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY