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Olympic rower Carl Meyer wasted no time in making an immediate impression on his first Coast to Coast.
The competitors had barely shaken off the cobwebs from the cold, dark 6am start on Kumara Beach when Meyer attacked on the first 55km cycle leg to Aicken's Corner. He
built up a lead of over five minutes before he blew up early on the mountain run.
"Absolutely stupid," he admitted with a grimace after the race. "It was a classic first-timers mistake. I figured they weren't going to wait for me on the run so why should I wait for them on the bike? But they went past me like I was standing still."
Meyer was overtaken by the leaders just 5km into the run and from there it was a long way to the finish, where he placed 21st.
"I can't believe how long it took me. I'd love to say I enjoyed but it kicked my butt."
The 27-year-old native of Geraldine in Canterbury, who won gold in the coxless four at the 2007 rowing world championships, took just a six-week break after the disappointment of failing to make the finals at Beijing, before deciding to do the Coast to Coast.
"I've always wanted to do it since I was a little kid and I thought the time was right. I haven't decided whether or not I'm finished with rowing for good but I needed some direction after Beijing.
"It would have been easy to get a bit lost, and depressed and down on yourself after the Olympics so it was good to have another goal to work towards."
Meyer's partner, double Olympic gold medallist Caroline Evers-Swindell was part of his support crew and she had some encouraging words as she helped him into his kayak at Mt White Bridge.
"He is buggered," said Evers-Swindell, "but he is still smiling."
Meyer said he enjoyed the 67km paddle down the Waimakiriri River, not surprising given his rowing background.
"There were a few waves and a bit of excitement. There are similarities between rowing and kayaking in terms of the length of training time and the feel of the water but they are quite different technically. But I've really enjoyed the variety of going down some new training runs instead of up and down the same lake all the time."
Meyer's paddling skills were honed by a regular commute in his kayak from his home in Cambridge to work in Hamilton, a distance of more than 30km. Meyer said the pain and intensity of the Coast to Coast was quite different to the challenges of being an Olympic rower.
"It is completely different. It is a very mental challenge and it is about endurance and working out how fast you can go all day."
Meyer may not have paced himself to perfection but he was still more than happy with his 21st placing in a time of just under 13 and a half hours. He comfortably achieved his goal of beating the 44th placing of fellow rower, Britain's James Cracknell, who finished 44th at the 2007 Coast to Coast.
Still, he was making no promises as to whether he'd be back for more next year. "I'd have to be a fool to sign up for it again," he grinned before heading for a well-earned lie-down after the finish at Sumner Beach in Christchurch.