Steve McKinstry, of Auckland, who was schooled in multisport through Dunedin's University Harrier Club, celebrated his 30th birthday on the first day of the 30th anniversary of the event on Friday, with a stunning 33km run over the Southern Alps.
Although recording a slick time of 3hr 12min 12sec, McKinstry was upstaged by a rare sub 3hr time by Wellington's Trevor Voyce, who clocked in at 2hr 58min 49sec in demanding conditions.
McKinstry finished third in the team section last year with Dunedin orthodontist Joe Petelo, but this year Petelo formed an integral part of his support crew, and Nelson roofing contractor Daniel Busch joined McKinstry.
On Friday, Busch was undone on the initial cycling stage from Kumara to Aickens, where he led with a group of eight, and as he was looking to hammer home an advantage over the last 20km of the 55km stage, he punctured, costing him valuable time as he scrambled to put in a replacement tube.
He arrived into transition at Aickens 3min down on the leaders. But it was McKinstry's day, as he quickly reeled in all but Voyce.
The pair began day two on Saturday 16min down on the team of Voyce and Matt Blundell but this meant little to Busch, who set his sights on Christchurch with a masterful 15km cycle to Mt White Station Bridge.
He entered the water for the 67km kayak to the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge with a 3min lead over Blundell.
Busch continued to build on his lead over Blundell, chopping a massive 14min off the Voyce-Blundell combination's lead. He left McKinstry to eradicate the other 2min over the 70km cycle to the finish on Sumner Beach.
McKinstry crossed the finish line in the combined team and individual two-day section in a total time of 11hr 22min 30sec, 31sec clear of second-placed Voyce and Blundell. The Christchurch pairing of Robert Loveridge and Paul Massie were third in 12hr 10min 23sec.
Nakia Randall, of Alexandra, won the secondary school girls two-day team section with Kelsee Hamilton, of Hokitika, in 14hr 37min 47sec, finishing second overall in the women's team section to Katharina Scheutz and Wend Riach (Christchurch), who clinched the open women's team title in 14hr 27min 57sec.
