Iain McGregor/Stuff
Richie McCaw smiles before the start of the Coast to Coast at Kumara Beach on Friday. “I m in pretty good nick in that regard. My team-mate [Nichol] has had a bit of a crook knee. He woke up real swollen this morning, so he s done damn well to get here,” McCaw said. “He was in a bit of pain in that last bike ride. He gritted his teeth and was pretty courageous really.” The tandem event involves both competitors doing the entire course over two days together, staying within 50 metres of each other on the bike and run sections, while paddling the Waimakariri River leg together in a double kayak.