Ashburton’s Matthew Clough (right) with winner Oliver Thomson. Photo suppliedIt is going to be an exciting year for Ashburton multisport athlete Matthew Clough.

The 17-year-old finished second in the two-day Coast to Coast at the weekend and will compete in two other big events, one in Denmark, in the next six months.

Clough was a standout in Coast to Coast, an iconic 243km race from Kumara Beach on the West Coast to the pier on New Brighton Beach in Christchurch.

Competitors cross the main divide at 1000 metres above sea level and test their limits cycling, running and kayaking.

The Ashburton College student easily won the schoolboy category and was second overall, in a time of 12 hours, 24 minutes and 16 seconds.

Yesterday he was looking forward to a good night’s sleep in his own bed, and reflecting on a great race.

Clough set his sights on the event 18 months ago, taking part in the mountain run in 2017, then learning to kayak in preparation for this year’s event.

The river leg was a challenge but he was one of the quickest of the 230 two-day pack, cutting out the 67km along the Waimakariri River in 4.22.43 hours.

“A year ago I could do 10 strokes before I fell out.

“Now I am paddling down grade two rivers in four and a half hours battling rapids along the way.”

Clough said he was with a bunch of about 40 riders after the short run and then 55km cycle to the start of the 33km mountain run over Goat Pass to Klondyke corner.

Fighting off cramp after the first river crossing, he surged to the front of the brutal leg and finished the first day’s racing in third place.

“The main goal for that day was to get to the finish line uninjured and feeling good.”

Clough’s crew, which included parents Carolyn and Kerry, and sponsor and physio Shaun Clark, were waiting and stoked with his progress.

Clark worked his magic on Clough’s sore muscles with some massage and stretching, then the crew bedded down for the night.

Clough said he, like most of the other competitors, had been up at 4am that day and was “reasonably stuffed”.

The nerves picked up a little as the second day, and the kayak challenge, dawned.

But river conditions were perfect and Clough’s practice on the water paid off.

He emerged from the water with eventual two-day winner Oliver Thompson and the pair worked together, cycling 70 kilometres into Christchurch’s notorious easterly wind towards the finish line at Sumner Beach.

In the last final straight, Thompson picked up the pace.

Clough stayed with him, banking on his triathlon experience and fast dismount to give him an edge if he needed one in the short sand sprint.

“I know how to dismount my bike well and I threw it at the officials and took off.”

Clough crossed first, but his cumulative time turned out to be two minutes and 48 seconds behind Thompson’s.

“I don’t know if was emotional, but it was a pretty good feeling crossing the finish line.”

He celebrated with a piece of watermelon and a beer, and put his hand in the sea to complete the journey from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Clough said he had been training up to 11 sessions a week in preparation for the Coast to Coast and would soon start his build-up for the national Xterra championships in Rotorua in April. The event involves an open water swim leg, so the former competitive swimmer will be back to early morning training sessions at the EA Networks Centre.

He will also have his hands full at college, where he is deputy head boy and studying for NCEA Level 3.

In July he heads to Denmark for the World Multisport Championships.

Clough said he had no plans to sign up for the one-day Coast to Coast but was proud to be one of five Ashburton athletes in the top tier of the two-day event.

Sam Clements-Stuart finished sixth, Cameron Harcourt 16th, Paul Sinclair 20th and Mark Summerfield 21st.

In the main one-day event, Whakatane’s Sam Clark made it three wins in a row, while South African Robyn Owen claimed her first win.

By Linda Clarke © The Ashburton Guardian - 12 February 2018