Robin Judkins
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Robin Judkins | |
|---|---|
 Judkins in 2016 | |
| Born | 10 May 1949 Geraldine, New Zealand |
| Known for | Founder of Coast to Coast race |
| Relatives | Anne Judkins (niece) |
Robin Austin Judkins ONZM (born 10 May 1949) is a New Zealand sports administrator. He created the Alpine Ironman and the Coast to Coast,[1] races that are often credited for being the origin of adventure racing. He has published an autobiography, Mad Dogs: Life on the Edge.
Judkins was born at Geraldine in 1949[2] to parents Mary Marjorie "Dot" Dwyer (born 1910) and Walter Judkins. He was one of their nine children. The family lived on Sunny Downs farm in South Canterbury before moving to Diamond Harbour when he was ten. They retired to Christchurch in 1964. Judkins' mother died in March 2018 aged 108.[3][4] The former racewalker Anne Judkins is his niece.[3] Judkins received his schooling at St Bede's College and was an A-grade student, but never showed any interest in education. He was the captain of the school's rugby team for a while. Aged 16, he discovered skiing, which became his lifelong passion.[2] He spent a year at the University of Canterbury and seven months at Christchurch Teachers' College to become a teacher, but he failed "miserably" because he had not learned how to swot.[2]
Young adulthood
In his early 20s, Judkins followed the winter whenever he had money to travel, and skied in North America and New Zealand. He competed in ski racing and his best result was a tenth place in the New Zealand nationals in 1973. He had a variety of employers and never stayed anywhere for more than two years. He wrote a book of poetry for which he could not find a publisher in New Zealand, but moved to Australia and utilised the 50% subsidy that Gough Whitlam's government was offering towards Australian-produced literature; Judkins successfully claimed to be Australian to receive the subsidy towards 600 copies of Burning Days in 1976. He then took a job as a travelling salesman for McGraw-Hill Publishing and the luxury of having an expense account turned him into a chronic alcoholic. He refused further travel to stem his drinking and lost his job. Judkins has abstained from drinking any alcohol since.[5][6]
The redundancy money from McGraw-Hill Publishing paid for a relocation of Judkins and his girlfriend Lorraine to London. They returned to Sydney by 1977 and he became self-employed as a house-painter. In 1979, he moved back to New Zealand.[5] Judkins and his girlfriend got married, and they had two daughters.[5] He split up with his wife in 2002.[6]
