Multisports: Ussher to attempt fifth Coast to Coast win

Richard Ussher. Photo / Getty Images

Coast to Coast champion Richard Ussher is returning in search of a fifth win in the 243km world multisport championship on February 11.

Race director Robin Judkins said he was "over the moon that Richard is racing again.''

He said: "You always want the current champion defending their title, but especially with this year's event being the 30th anniversary.''

Judkins has dubbed the 30th celebrations The Year of the Champions and has invited every past champion, across all the categories, back for the 2012 event.

But much like nine-time winner Steve Gurney, Judkins says Ussher is something of a "champion of champions.''

He said: "Richard is arguably the most talented guy multisport has ever seen.

"Steve Gurney was superbly prepared, a brilliant tactician, and gave the sport a great profile, and Keith Murray still holds the race record (10hrs 34min 37secs set in 1994).

"But Richard has been world class across skiing, multisport, adventure racing and triathlon, so you'd have to say he's the most talented athlete multisport has seen.''

In 2011 Ussher came back to the Coast to Coast following a three-year affair with Ironman triathlon. In spite of having not raced the world title event since 2008, he won by 15min in 10hr 41min 12sec, to become the second fastest winner in Coast to Coast history.

While Gurney won the race nine times (1990, 91, 97-03) and Keith Murray still holds the race record, many consider Ussher's 2011 effort, on a course more than 15min slower than in 1994, as the best performance ever seen in this race.

That win marks Ussher as the favourite this year, but there will be more motivation for him than simply a fifth title.

Ussher's wife Elina, the 2010 winner and 2011 runner-up, is also racing again and the Team Subway duo could become the first husband and wife to win the Coast to Coast in the same year.

They have twice come close to achieving this feat, with Richard first and Elina second in both 2006 and 2011. The closest any other couple has come is Keith and Andrea Murray, who won in race record performances on separate occasions in 1994 and 1997. Their respective records of 10hr 34min 37sec and 12hr 09min 26sec still stand going into this year's 30th anniversary.

Ussher's motivation, however, will also include beating a handful of young pretenders to his throne.

"In the last couple of years we've had some very strong surprise performances from young guys,'' said Judkins.

"The most obvious is Wanaka's Dougal Allen because he's been second for the last two years. But other youngsters such as Blenheim's Jeremy McKenzie and Auckland's James Kuegler (8th and 10th in 2011) are said to be much improved. And the first two guys from the Two Day race last year, James Coubrough from Lower Hutt and Dan Moore from Nelson, are both stepping up to the One Day for the first time.''

More than 600 athletes from all over the world are expected on the start line for the 30th Coast to Coast.