Anderson fit and ready to go full-on
BY MURRAY HILLS
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Glenn Anderson could be excused for taking things easy this week.
Days out from this year's national Surf League competition at Mt Maunganui, Anderson admits he has been looking over his shoulder while training at the beach.
The reason, to avoid any repeat of last year when an ankle injury sidelined him, meaning he was a spectator as his Taranaki team-mates won the interprovincial Surf League title.
"I got cleaned out by a board while training and sprained my ankle," he said. "One of the boys, Daniel Nelson, reminded me of the injury and told me to be careful. I'll just take things easy."
Anderson said the injury dogged him for six months.
"I struggled to get on top of it, but it's all good now."
Anderson, who is Taranaki coach and captain, is looking forward to a full-on weekend of competition.
"I'll be competing in the ironman as well as the swimming events ... run-swim-run and board ... and the beach relay," he said. "It's a bit of a bits and pieces weekend. Most of the team will be competing in four or five events, that's the way it is."
Anderson, who will coach the side for the first time, said he rated Taranaki's chances highly.
"We've got a solid line-up. We've been training hard and we'll be giving it our best shot."
Anderson, who is bidding for an extraordinary four-peat, having won the past three titles with Gisborne (2007), Bay of Plenty (2008) and Taranaki, moved to Oakura more than a year ago to take up a fulltime coaching position with New Plymouth Old Boys.
"It's full-on, seven days a week over summer. The phone is always going with kids asking questions," he said. "And through winter, it's the same with winter training squads and a bit of swim coaching at the pool."
Anderson is the New Zealand captain and is a certainty for the 12-strong New Zealand squad for the world championships in Egypt in October.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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