Records were "obliterated" in Challenge Wanaka on Saturday when the top three men’s athletes slashed 20min off the course record in high winds, rain and sweltering sunshine.
First across the finish line in the men’s half-triathlon was five-time world champion Javier Gomez, of Spain, in 3hr 57min 27sec, followed by Wanaka’s Braden Currie in 3hr 57min 44sec and American Jesse Thomas in 3hr 59min 44sec.
Race director Bill Roxburgh said all three men finishing in such close succession "was really incredible for our marketing for future events".
After the race Gomez said he both "enjoyed" the race and "suffered" in it.
"The course is amazing. I really loved the atmosphere and the crowd, but I had to give it my best to win this race."
The half-triathlon comprised a 1.9km swim in Lake Wanaka, a 90km bike ride out towards Treble Cone before heading back through Lake Wanaka and then cutting across to Lake Hawea and a 21.1km run, half of which was off-road alongside the lake and banks of the Clutha River.
Gomez said the run was the toughest part of the race as it was "lots of hills, all the gravel up and down, lots of corners, and I had to be very focused to win there".
Currie, New Zealand’s No1 endurance athlete, set the course record when he was an amateur five years ago but he was beaten by Gomez, who crossed the finish line just 17sec ahead of him.
"When we got into that later half of the bike ride and I pushed quite hard probably the last 20 or 30km Gomez slipped back to third or fourth wheel and probably saved his legs a bit. You never know. Maybe that was the 10 or 20 seconds I needed in the run."
Despite the fierce competition, there was also a lot of camaraderie among the professional athletes, Currie said.
"One time I dropped my chain and Gomez kind of scooped me up and gave me a push to try to get me going again ... and allowed me to get back into that front group, which was pretty amazing."
Third placegetter Jesse Thomas, of the United States, said Challenge Wanaka had always been on his bucket list.
"I’m so glad I did it because it completely lived up to my expectations — beautiful, hard, honest, great people and great support.
"It was also a fast race in the women’s half-triathlon, Annabel Luxford, of Australia, setting a new course record of 4hr 27min 2sec.
"It was solid across all three. I found the bike hard because I got a bit cold but I was very happy with the whole day," she said.
Second woman home was Briton Laura Siddall in 4hr 27min 13sec, while New Zealander Amelia Watkinson was third in 47min 38min 11sec. Challenge Wanaka attracted more than 1500 athletes from 31 countries in both the full (226km) and half (113km) distances as well as the inaugural Aquabike (swim and bike race).
Roxburgh said the rain caused a few slippery areas on the bike course for an hour or so and there were issues with traffic congestion as many tourists were in town for Chinese New Year.
"We need to have a look at that, but overall the people of Wanaka have been very understanding and helpful, particularly the more than 500 volunteers, without whom we would not have an event."
Roxburgh estimated that Challenge Wanaka brought more than $4million in to the Wanaka community and said that "it’s looking good for next year".
Entries have already opened for the 2019 event and Roxburgh said he might add another Aquabike event as it had proved very popular.
