Ironman legend Alan Coates dies while training at Noosa Alan Coates, who died today, pictured in 2005. Alan Coates of the Noosa Surf Club in 1968. IRONMAN legend Alan Coates has died after suffering a massive heart attack while training off Noosa beach. Noosa Surf Life Saving Club president Gerard O'Brien confirmed to The Courier-Mail that the former endurance champion and coach had died shortly after 7.10am. Mr Coates, 69, had been out training on his board with a group of masters competitors when he collapsed. His Noosa clubmates quickly brought him to shore at Little Cove and administered CPR, but he could not be saved. "They did everything they could, but there was no bringing him back," Mr O'Brien said. He's an absolute legend and there are a lot of people who are devastated. If he had to go, Coatesy would have wanted it to happen this way - on the water, doing what he loved. He has been involved in every aspect of the movement for a long time and loved pushing himself to the limit. Mr Coates started out at Sydney's Maroubra Lifesaving club at 12 years old and by 19 he had taken on the job of Beach Inspector. He later moved to Noosa and in a remarkable surf spanning five decades made a name for himself as an endurance athlete. Coates contested the first Ironman event conducted in Australia, at Coolangatta Beach in 1966, raced in many Coolangatta Golds. He coached many athletes, including 'Gold' winners and ironman stars Guy Leech and Michael King. A triple bypass in 1999 did not slow him for long and he was soon back in training and competition. The surf lifesaving fraternity will sadly miss the Noosa life member, also one of the movement's great characters.