Who will come out on top in the Coast to Coast?

Hamish Elliott. Photo: Coast to Coast

Much of the Coast to Coast pre-race talk has been about the looming battle between defending champion Dougal Allan and returning three-time champion Sam Clark, but you can't count out rising Christchurch-based star Hamish Elliott.

The 25-year-old has been likened to three-time champion Braden Currie.

What drives this elite Chch athlete to take on the Coast to Coast?

“Yeah, I’ve had a few people make those comparisons,” said Elliott.

Elliott is ranked fourth, behind Christchurch’s Ryan Kiesanowski who finished 5th in 2019.

Kiesanowski lines up for what he thinks will be either his 12th or 13th Coast to Coast.

“I can’t wait to get out there and race, it’s been a great summer. I think the Mountain Run is looking as fast as I can remember seeing it so we could be in for a real battle. It’s a great field and I hope myself and the others can keep Dougal and Sam honest,” Kiesanowski said.

He's looking forward to going up against Elliott, who completed the Coast to Coast Longest Day in 12hr 14min two years ago.

Elliott has ditched all other sports and a full-time job working on a farm. He has also shifted to Christchurch to concentrate on multisport.

“I’d only just finished a rugby season last time, so I’ve stopped that and have also been racing in China a bit over the past year or so, so I’ve built up a better endurance base that will hopefully help me even more,” he said.

With a strong first bike and mountain run last year, Bay of Plenty dairy farmer Bobby Dean also returns with the intention of troubling the leaders.

“I’ve had a pretty good build-up with no issues to speak of. I’m feeling healthy and fit. I had some issues last year but still managed to come off the mountain with the leaders so hopefully I can go even better this year,” Dean said.

Dean emerged from the Mountain Run in third last year but slid back to seventh after he was overtaken in the kayak.

“I’ve been working on my kayak a fair bit, so fingers crossed it all comes together on the day,” he said.

The Kathmandu Coast to Coast on February 7-8 starts on the West Coast at Kumara Beach and traverses the width of the South Island, crossing the main divide and finishing on the East Coast at New Brighton Beach.

Top 10 men's seeds for the 2020 Coast to Coast: