Billy McCarthy has won the Coolangatta Gold under-14 male division, beating a huge field of 48 of the best 14-year-old Ironman competitors in the country.
McCarthy competed in the prestigious Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold on Saturday, October 12, on the Gold Coast, in the junior event especially designed for aspiring lifesavers and future ocean and beach event competitors.
The 2024 Coolangatta Gold celebrated 40 years since the first event was staged as part of the movie of the same name.
The event that launched the career of Ironmen legends such as Guy Leech, Michael King and Darren Mercer, has now grown to include Ironwomen, masters and youth competitions.
McCarthy’s race consisted of a combination of 250m soft sand run/ 350m swim/ 550m run/ 450m board paddle and then the run to the famous finish line.
“It was a very close sprint finish with the current Australian champion in my age group,” McCarthy said.
“I am very thankful for my training partners and coaches who push me every session.”
McCarthy has been a dominant figure in surf life saving in his age group for years.
“I was a member of Wamberal for seven seasons but I have now transferred across to compete for Avoca Beach,” McCarthy said.
He’s represented Central Coast in interbranch competitions for the past three years and won multiple state titles in his age group.
In his first Australian titles last year he finished seventh in both swim and Ironman finals.
The Coolangatta Gold saw more than 1,000 Australian and international competitors compete in two days of racing across both long and short courses.
Categories included elite, open, masters and youth competitors.
It is Australia’s most gruelling event on the surf sports calendar.
The main event saw reigning champion Ali Day from Surfers Paradise win his 10th Coolangatta Gold and Jemma Smith from Sydney’s Newport Club win the Ironwoman Gold.