The 18-year-old Bonny Hills athlete will be tackling the Ironman style event in a three man team on Saturday, October 24 in the middle of his final year school exams.

Teams will complete the Coolangatta short course over 21kms with a 10.5km ski paddle, 2km swim, 3km board paddle and 5.5km beach run.

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Anderson, a surf club member of nine years said the race complicates his exam timetable but provides a refreshing break to studying.

"Due to it being in the middle of my HSC exams I had to pick and choose my times to train. I wanted to do it by myself but I didn't have the time to do the training and I knew I could only do the 10.5km ski instead," he said.

"It's different having a race between exams. It breaks up the week and its something to look forward to, almost like a reward.

"Most of the kids I know are studying for exams, stuck in their books and this is a bit different.

"I'm not one to sit and study for hours on end but I can do lots of little sections split with physical activity so I'd say it's been beneficial for my study for exams.

"I try to better myself, represent the club and have it as a reward for working hard."

Anderson has previously competed at the Coolangatta Gold half course in 2018 and 2019, attended the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in July last year and attended state swimming, state cross country, state athletics competitions.

"I'd like to take racing further and in this area I've competed in all the races that come up. For me it's about pushing your body to the next level and having that strength to keep going," he said.

"I'd like to do the Coolangatta long course (41.8km race) in the future, hopefully the near future."

Wauchope-Bonny Hills Surf Life Saving Club is hosting the Rainbow Gold Enduro event in place of the 2020 Coolangatta Gold, which was cancelled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The event is open to surf clubs from the Mid North Coast Branch and entries are limited to 50.

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