I was fortunate enough to spend a few years racing at this end of the field and have a fair understanding of the mindset of the athletes trying to win or place in the top 5. Multisport is such a unique sport that outside of New Zealand, and even outside of the sport, there is little acknowledgement of the prestige that exists with winning the Longest Day Kathmandu Coast to Coast, also known as the World Multisport Championships. The fact that the sport doesn’t appear to exist outside of New Zealand other than in Australia, South Africa and a number of European countries makes one wonder why a handful of people would train like Olympic athletes for years on end to win this event. Is it money? The reality is that the prize purse wouldn’t cover the cost of most ‘Elite athletes’ bicycles, which, if they want to win, require this latest technology.

The beauty of this event is that the elites generally train to win it for the pure extrinsic value of being named the Kathmandu Coast to Coast Longest Day Champion. To have this title within the small multisport community is to be recognised as a god; there is a collective understanding of the skillset and the endurance base it takes to win this race. The Kathmandu Coast to Coast community appreciates all endurance athletes, but to be fair, you could win the Kona Ironman, but a true Kathmandu Coast to Coast fan would probably still ask you if you can claim a sub 3-hour run time over Goat Pass.

Outside of the event, other elite New Zealand sportspeople are also more ready to acknowledge and recognise the skills and endurance that it takes to win this event. Especially when you look at how previous champs such as Braden Currie, Dougal Allan, Andrea Hewitt, and Hayden Wilde have all not only branched out to other sporting disciplines but, in fact, dominated them. I am sure the great Richie McCaw and other renowned sporting elite would be happy to give a nod to Kathmandu Coast to Coast champs and recognise their commitment to the sport.

With this year’s Elite field as strong as it’s ever been, I’m going to put my neck on the line with my top picks for the male and female fields. Again the Kathmandu Coast to Coast is unique in the fact that come the Red Bridge on the Waimakariri River in the Longest Day, it won’t necessarily be the most talented athlete who will win; by this stage, talent has been whittled down in the last nine hours of racing, from Red Bridge on it becomes about who wants the title the most.

The Women's field again goes 10 athletes deep who could all win it on the day.

Names to watch out for are:

1.             Simone Maier

2.             Fiona Dowling

3.             Rebecca Kingsford

4.             Elina Ussher

5.             Deborah Lynch

6.             Hannah Lund

7.             Tessa Aukje Dekker

8.             Julia Chamberlain

9.             Maria Ehlin Kolk

10.          Alice Mullins

Several females entered outside of this list who could easily podium also. Some thoughts on these are, though, that Simone is the strongest athlete in the field and arguably the greatest female Kathmandu Coast to Coast athlete ever. To win in 2024 will equal the great Kathy Lynch’s five-time champion record, and Kathy probably does still hold the candle as the greatest Women’s Coast to Coast athlete ever. A win in 2024 will come down to how much Simone wants it, having won the title already.

Fiona Dowling has been agonisingly close for many years; she must question what extra she needs to do to win? She is an exceptional kayaker and has turned her weakness of running into a strength, having placed 2nd and 3rd, there is only one other place to get on the podium.

Every year, there are stories of crazy times coming off Goats Pass. This year, the stories have revolved around Deb Lynch, with some daunting run times being posted and the experience of the Longest Day now under her belt. The question will be how much she has improved her kayaking.

Julia Chamberlain won the Open Women’s last year and placed 7th overall, she could potentially be a dark horse.

Hannah Lund has the desire to win the race and, most definitely, the talent. It will be a matter of whether she has done the race time and has the experience to get the job done against arguably far more experienced athletes.

Maria Ehlin Kolk is a talented expedition racer from Sweden. She has the ability to win the race but probably lacks the experience.

Elina Ussher will win the race if everyone else doesn’t have their complete performance together. The most consistent athlete in the field and most experienced, there is no doubt that Elina will have a good day racing. After 19 events, she would be the first to admit she probably doesn’t have the same spring through big boulders, but she will be consistent and will pick people up all the way to the finish line.

Rebecca Kingsford, in my mind, has the single focus required to win the event this year. Living in Christchurch, she has dedicated her time to this event and has developed the skills and knowledge required to win it. In my mind, she wants it the most.

My top 5 Elite Female Longest Day Champs for 2024

1.             Rebecca Kingsford

2.             Simone Maier

3.             Hannah Lund

4.             Fiona Dowling

5.             Elina Ussher

The men's field promises the most excitement in a number of years. It is usually relatively ‘easy’ to pick a favourite in the men’s field or at least the top three, but the 2024 field has the most depth in a long time. There are easily five blokes that could take the number one spot.

The 10 ranked men this year are:

1.             Sam Manson         

2.             Hamish Elliott

3.             Ryan Kiesanowski

4.             Alex Hunt

5.             Lars Löfgren

6.             Bradley McNamara

7.             Lachie Brownlie

8.             Robbie Hunt

9.             Ben Phillips

10.          Tane Cambridge

However, with the close competition, names like Alex Roberts, Jesse Whitehead, and Ben O’Carroll could easily make the top ten on any given day.

Sam Manson has to be a favourite; he has done his time and learnt the art of winning. In 2021, he proved to himself he could win, and in 2023, he did this. No one in the event will know the course better than Sam; he is well aware of his strengths and will work on these all day. I imagine he will play the game of patience. Sam had a tough end of the year in 2023, developing a virus and battling in a number of events leading up to Christmas. This will either hinder him or the forced rest will potentially have set him up nicely for the icing of the cake that occurs over January. Recent reports suggest Sam is peaking perfectly for the upcoming race.

Hamish Elliot has maintained a single-minded focus on the event, although it's challenging to gauge his current status as he trains somewhat underground. Undoubtedly the fastest runner over the mountain run, though this has been to his detriment in the past. I predict Hamish will be swift over Goat Pass but keep a manageable pace, allowing him to remain competitive in the second half of the day.

The seasoned veteran of the field is Ryan Kiesanowski (40 years old). He has enjoyed an exceptional five years of racing and is to be admired for his competitiveness, considering he has a family and runs a full-time business. If all the stars align, Ryan could easily secure victory in this event; however, he would be the first to admit that he has a few more stars to align compared to some of his competitors.

Lars Lofgren has the physical ability to win the event, having defeated Sam Manson in Sweden’s ARE Challenge, demonstrating his racing experience. His challenge lies in course knowledge and the fact that he has come from a Swedish winter with limited opportunities to kayak. Keep an eye on Lars as he positions himself near the front after the run!

Brad McNamara poses a threat coming down from the North Island, with numerous races under his belt; 2024 could be his year to shine. Others to watch include Ben Phillips, who finished 23rd in the Ironman World Champs in 2023 and swiftly transitioned from goggles to paddle, easily top three potential at the Multisport World Champs. Robbie Hunt, Alex's brother, has familiarised himself with the course and will be looking forward to getting back out there again this year. Additionally, Lachie Brownlie, now a Kathmandu Coast to Coast regular, possesses the knowledge of how to secure a victory.

Finally, Alex Hunt is an Australian from Tasmania, almost making him more of a Kiwi than an Aussie. Alex has arguably been the most competitive international in the men's field over the past ten years of the event. With the last international to win being the legendary John Jacoby in 1993, Alex will no doubt be keen to take the old mug home. He readily admits that his biggest weakness in previous events was time on the course. However, this year, he has committed to spending five weeks in New Zealand, preparing and utilising the skills of previous multisport world champion and Halberg Coach of the Year recipient Gordon Walker for coaching. Alex has made a point of leaving no stone unturned in the Waimakariri and over Goats Pass in his preparation for the 2024 event. Additionally, Alex shows the desire to win and put this event to bed. Hence, I am picking Alex to win in 2024.

Top 5 men:

1.             Alex Hunt

2.             Sam Manson

3.             Ryan Kiesanowski

4.             Hamish Elliot

5.             Brad McNamara

In both fields, I am picking a lead change during the final ride, with less than a 30-minute gap between the top 5 competitors in both categories. The 2024 race is poised to deliver a race for the ages!