CurraNZ one-two in men's elite race in Coast to Coast

CURRANZ is celebrating a magnificent one-two in the World Multisport Championships, held in New Zealand earlier this month.

Billed as the ‘clash of champions’, the two giants of Kiwi endurance sport, Sam Clark and Dougal Allan, battled it out across 243km of the Southern Alps in the world's longest-running international multisport event.

It was the first time in seven years that the pair had met in the Coast to Coast and just seven minutes separated them at the finish, with Sam crossing the line in ten hours and 45 minutes.

Reflecting on his fourth win in the race, Sam (pictured, above) said: “I left absolutely everything out there. I’ve never worked that hard in my life for a victory.

“Out of all my victories, that’s got to be the best. Dougal and I are so evenly matched, we race together, he’s one of my best mates, it’s just a shame we have to go out there and battle each other like we did today.

“I know how much Dougal wanted it and to be honest, my biggest fear today was that he wanted it more than me…. that when it came to crunch time, I wouldn’t be able to do what I needed to get it across the line but I managed it.”

Before the race, Dougal (above) predicted that Sam would be the main individual capable of testing him to the limit in this race - and so it proved.

Having trained harder for this race than in any other year, the Coast to Coast didn’t quite pan out as hoped for Dougal, who revealed the conditions couldn’t have been worse for him.

“I would have liked a hot day and knew I was going to struggle in the cold. I wore as much as I could but I’m better suited to the hot weather.

“Sam deserved to win the race. I didn’t quite put it together on the day but I’m happy for Sam.”

Dougal announces Ironman New Zealand target

Testament to the recovery powers of CurraNZ, Dougal was fast out of the blocks and racing in a team challenge at Wanaka the following weekend. 

Then, there's the small matter of Ironman New Zealand. 

Dougal says: "I've decided to race Ironman New Zealand on March 7, it could be a smart way to move on from the Coast to Coast disappointment, or a stupid way to realise an Ironman is difficult when one hasn't swum for six months! 

"My recovery from the Coast to Coast is going okay, physically and mentally, so I should be fine to race in less than four weeks."  

The endurance giants using CurraNZ to great effect

Both Sam and Dougal use CurraNZ for their training and racing. Having used it to great effect for a clean sweep of team success at the World Multisport Stage Championships in China last year (pictured above), it has become a staple supplement in the heat of battle for two of New Zealand’s finest.

We wish them all the best in their next endeavours.