Gibbs (21) joined Dunedin's Ariki club in 2010, before spending 18 months as an exchange student in Canada, where he won the Uxbridge half-marathon and the Hamilton marathon.
He returned to Dunedin earlier this year, playing an important part in Ariki's fortunes over the harrier season, while individually finishing third in the City of Christchurch marathon at Queen's Birthday Weekend in 2hr 41min.
Gibbs is heading back to Canada, where his partner lives.
He began yesterday's race with Ariki clubmate Stewart Paul but soon found himself pulling away and running out front on his own. From then on, it was a case of dealing with the isolated nature of the course and maintaining a steady pace.
''You find your mind starts to wander a little bit when it starts to get a little bit tougher,'' Gibbs said.
''Obviously, it's harder work when you're by yourself. It's a bigger mental challenge to keep your head in the game the whole time.''
An added bonus for Gibbs was that his winning time of 1hr 14min 28sec was a personal best by 4min.
Second was Paul, who finished first in the masters men section in 1hr 18min 8sec. Shaun Barlow was third in 1hr 19min 31sec.
After an early battle with Mel Aitken, Shireen Crumpton had enough in reserve over the closing stages to win the open women's title in 1hr 27min 44sec.
Crumpton has been juggling work and family life in preparation for the Auckland marathon early next month.
She admitted she was basically turning the legs over yesterday.
''My intention was to just run this as a tempo run,'' she said.
After Auckland, Crumpton intends to contest the Kepler Challenge in early December before preparing to defend her New Zealand marathon title at the championships being held in conjunction with the 50th running of the Rotorua marathon.
Andrew Pohl (24) is making a successful transition from international cross-country skiing to triathlon and ironman competition.
Pohl biked 30km to the start of yesterday's 10km section of the event, then blitzed the field to win in a time of 34min 27sec, before preparing for the return 30km bike ride to Dunedin.
Second home in the 10km section was Louis Tomlin in 36min 47sec and Oliver O'Sullivan was third in 37min 7sec.
There were promising signs for Kirsty O'Sullivan in her battle to overcome a troublesome Achilles injury when she won the open women's section in 39min 56sec. Shauna Pali was second in 40min 21sec and Julie Wilson third in 41min 26sec.
In the 2km future champions race for children, Balclutha runners made a successful trip north. Shea Darwin put daylight second to record a convincing victory in 7min 25sec, while in the open girls section, Sophie Sinclair won in 8min 9sec, and her younger sister Bridget was third in 8min 52sec.
