Gordon Walker likes to keep his friends close and his Coast to Coast rivals even closer - in fact, he's coaching a few of them in next week's race, as Ken Thorne writes.
If the unthinkable happens and Gordon Walker doesn't win next week's Speights Coast to Coast, odds are he'll have only himself to blame.
Walker's favouritism for the 243km multisport classic is not without cause, as he has finished in the first two every year for the past five. The 37-year-old won last year by a staggering 31 minutes and is seeking title number three.
Some of his fiercest rivals are also his best pupils, however, as he's extended his coaching repertoire to guide athletes such as Mt Maunganui's Dwarne Farley, Taupo's Cameron Durno and Taumarunui's Rachel Cashin.
"I wasn't necessarily going to do the race again, so I picked up a few more athletes in the last year that will potentially be in the top 10," Walker says.
"I think I've got seven or eight in total doing the longest day [one-day race] and another couple doing the two-day.
"It's definitely a bit different racing someone you've coached but, then again, I can only do so much to help someone win - a lot of it is to do with the athlete and their personal discipline."
It stretches a bit further with Farley, however, who is also a good mate and training buddy. The pair spent last week on the Waimakariri River and in Goat Pass, testosterone-fuelled mega-sessions which topped off their training nicely.
"Some of those sessions are just gold - a double day of paddling and running leaves you broken but you feel like you're really going to a new level," says Farley, who was third in the 2007 Coast to Coast.
The Bay of Plenty company director admits it will be strange racing someone who knows his game so intimately but he fears the epic South Island terrain more.
"It's more like we're mates who are doing the same race. You're obviously aware of who the main competitors are but it's such a long day, you're really just smacking yourself against the countryside.
"The more experienced you get with racing, the more you realise you can't do anything about anyone else.
"At the same time, training with the best is the thing to do and Gordon really brings my level up and hopefully I push him along."
Durno, a 28-year-old from Taupo, is in his fifth attempt at the race, while Taumarunui vet Cashin is ranked highly in a strong women's field.
Third in 2007 and 2008, Cashin's ambitions will be challenged by an elite international pack, headed by West Coast-based Canadian and three-time champion Emily Miazga, and Nelson-based Finn, Elina Ussher.
Ussher, wife of imperious Kiwi star Richard, has never won but race organiser Robin Judkins expects her support crew this year to make a massive difference.
"Emily is obviously favourite but I think Elina will go very well because Richard, who has won this race three times, is supporting her rather than racing," Judkins said. "A support crew with that sort of experience can make the difference."
There's also a significant threat from Brazilian national champion Camila Nicolau, Canadian national champion Ursula Tracz and Swedish adventure racing ace Emma Wichardt.
But that's nothing on the men's depth. Walker reckons the talent is as good as anything he's seen in the great race from West Coast's Kumara Beach to Christchurch's Sumner.
Top of his list is Auckland's Carl Bevin, fifth in 2007 and seventh last year, while Nelson personal trainer Trevor Voyce grabbed an unlikely second 12 months ago. Foxton 24-year-old Dougal Allan is rated a potential dark-horse, as is paddling specialist Daniel Bush.
Walker is one of multisport's most knowledgeable and meticulous athletes - the same traits he brings to his coaching - and the research into the field shouldn't be under-estimated.
But with only eight weeks since wife Viv gave birth to their second daughter, Lola, and a nagging calf injury, he's loath to put the house on his picks.
"I'm pretty confident I've done what I need to do - I'm a better paddler than I was this time last year and I'm as good a cyclist as I was - but I'll find out on the day pretty quickly.
"There are a few people that are really good in two legs and really weak in the third or else they can't put it together all in one day.
That's what is hard about the Coast to Coast - actually putting a package together and that's also where experience is a massive factor."
