"I stink," Mr Sandri said on Saturday afternoon, after hugging athletes - often visibly shattered, visibly emotional - at the finish.
"Every single person that's come across that line, that's what I'm going to do, that's my commitment," Mr Sandri said. "It's just respect for what they've done.
"If I haven't got the decency to stand at the line and welcome them home after inviting them to come and do the race, well, that doesn't say much about me."
The weather was great, the crowd at the finish line was larger than in last year's inaugural race, and the atmosphere was "awesome".
Locals played a part, not just in volunteering as organisers but in competing, as 117 athletes from 15 different countries started the race at Aoraki/Mt Cook.
Ben Fraser, of Oamaru, was mobbed by supporters shortly after crossing the line.
After labouring through the 88km Lake Middleton to Loch Laird stage in a time of 27h 52m on Tuesday and Wednesday, he predicted he would not be among the nearly 20 athletes forced to pull out over the course of the week.
"There were probably people that doubted whether I could get through it - but I'll tell you what, I don't really care about them. I was only out there for one thing, and that was to get here," Mr Fraser said.
"It's a huge achievement for anybody to go and do it. It doesn't matter who it is. If you line up at one of these events, you know it's not going to be easy. And you know you can do it if you've got the right mental side of it."
He said it was "pretty special" covering the last few kilometres into Oamaru Harbour.
He had "an interesting day" on Saturday after injuring his knee on Friday.
"I ended up having to use my poles to get out of bed this morning, get up off the ground. It took me about halfway to the finish line ... to get mobile, before I could really start going. And then when I started going, I was right."
"But I always only had one thing in mind - get here."
Eric Ross, of Hakataramea, was also nearly sidelined by injury. A "very crook calf muscle" hobbled the sheep and beef farmer on the first day when he had to walk the last 20km.
Mr Ross, who was a volunteer for the race in its first year, last year, said "if it wasn't for ... the physios, I wouldn't have got here".
Then, on the fourth day, he staggered organisers and other competitors alike as the first runner across the line on the 88km longest stage of the race.
"I just had one of those days I can't believe," he said. "I was in front for the last 60km and I was just looking around for someone to take over - I just couldn't believe it."
With a beer in hand at the harbour after the race, he revelled in the memories he had created and the camaraderie among all the competitors.
"It doesn't matter if you're first or last, you're all the same," he said.
