At the conclusion of the inaugural Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold 25.6, Race One
Ironman Cory Taylor posted his success upon his social media page with a mic drop for the youth of our sport to hear.
Generation ‘still here!’
And still here they are!
Standing beside Champion Ali Day and runner-up Matty Bev, Cory, who’s better known on the beach as ‘CT’ stood proudly in third.
Trying to avoid the numbers as best we can, let’s just say our three Ironmen are absolutely thriving in their thirties.
With a laugh, CT states that his generation not only lean into their experience but can control their dispositions, allowing them to work with the ever-changing ocean environment.
“We hold our tempers better!” Laughed CT.
Explaining himself with a little more context allowed us to understand that he wasn’t
comparing the youth of the sport to Mike Tyson, but rather how our millennials, or surf sports generation ‘still here’, arguably have an edge over the chase pack.
“It’s such an explosive sport now,” CT began to elaborate.
“But the experience we (Gen Y) have, has built such a good foundation that we are able to use both our skills and experience to work with the ocean rather than just going out and fighting the conditions.”
Born and raised in Gisborne on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, spending his summers on the sand of Wainui Beach and following in the footsteps of his World Champion father, CT naturally gravitated to the ocean.
“I loved being at the beach, we would spend all summer there playing in the water before
hitting the tuckshop!” he recalled fondly.
For CT it was a natural progression into high level racing that didn’t come early from a love of training or chasing success but rather from the travel component that he experienced when he began making national teams.
“For me it was a natural progression into high level racing,” he said.
“I began to experience other parts of the world, meet new people and talk to athletes and
coaches alike.”
From Gizzy to the hustle and bustle of Sydney, CT’s love for our sport grew when it began to open opportunities so vastly different from his hometown.
“Everything outside of Gizzy began to look so big and exciting in comparison,” he said.
“Travelling internationally, the different cities and coastal towns, the people and the
experiences these trips delivered fuelled my drive to succeed in surf sports!
“I still get excited when we get to race in places like Sydney!” he laughed.
Going hand in hand with his love for travel and racing, CT’s lifestyle has allowed him to quite literally ‘follow his gut’ around the world.
Eager for a ‘fat feed’ at every opportunity that rises, food could just about take the title when it comes to CT and his training regime.
(NZ Slang: ‘Fat Feed’ – a large hearty meal / feast )
“I seriously love food!” he confidently stated.
“I think that’s part of the reason that I love training - so I can go out with my mates, enjoy
their company and eat absolutely everything and anything I want!”
Balancing fulltime work, training and life outside of sport, was once a weakness that CT
often overlooked.
“When I was younger my ability to balance work, life and training was something I didn’t do so well.” He spoke.
“I was always looking to push a bit more and ignore the signs of sickness and exhaustion.”
But with age comes maturity and for CT, maturity has enabled a learning that continues to deliver results.
“I manipulate my weeks to ensure that my body is ready for back-to-back racing,” he stated.
“I work hard when it’s time to and I rest and recover when I am meant to. I now know when to keep pushing for more but to also back off when it’s time to recover and prepare for events.”
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With age simply a number and no end in sight for CT, Generation ‘still here’ will continue to push the limits in surf sports, chasing success and serving up a ‘fat feed’ for the youth to simply attempt to devour.