The day belonged to John (21), a fourth-year medical student who cleaned up the individual section.
He completed the three-stage section to Klondyke Corner in 3hr 13min 39sec to hold a 5min 11sec lead over James Kuegler (Auckland) going into today's 152km three-stage section to Sumner Beach.
Also snapping at John's heels is fellow scarfie Palmer, a second-year commerce student who, at 18, is one of the youngest competitors in the individual category.
Palmer completed the first day in 3hr 35min 51sec to be in fifth position.
Both will discover, when racing starts again early this morning, just how fickle any carry-over time advantage can be.
John experienced this first-hand two years ago, when he held a similar advantage, only to be raced down on the 70km cycling section into Christchurch and having to settle for fourth.
However, he said at the end of racing yesterday he felt better prepared this year.
He has the added motivation of wishing to finish well clear of his father, Stephen, who has contested 16 previous Coast to Coast events and finished yesterday in 5hr 56min.
"Dad has a best result of fourth, so we're even in terms of results at the moment," Rhys said.
Should John win the two-day section later today, he will not only earn family bragging rights but, at 1.98m, will also become one of the tallest winners in the 28-year history of the event.
John's mother, Lynne, has competed in two previous Coast to Coasts and brother Huw (20), a third-year medical student at Otago, competed in the team section three years ago.
Little brother Owain (16) trained to enter the team section this year but his team-mate had to pull out.
"We'd planned a family thing, but it didn't quite work out," Rhys said.
Wanaka-based physiotherapist Joanna Williams had cause for early celebrations yesterday when she led the women's field to Klondyke Corner in 4hr 18min 13sec and established a record time on the 55km cycle stage from Kumara to Deception Bridge.
Williams' time for the stage of 1hr 42min 41sec surpassed the time set by Megan Kennedy in 2004 by 3min 1sec, and is also faster than the 1hr 43min 2sec posted by Olympian Kathy Lynch in 1997 as a longest-day competitor.
Williams slogged it out on the run through the Southern Alps to complete her day at the office in 6hr 54sec.
She will start day two holding a 9min 39sec advantage over Amy Brazier (Christchurch).
Leading the team section is the Canterbury pairing of Luke Vaughan and Peter O'Sullivan, who finished in 5hr 1min 13sec, with an 18min 37sec advantage.
But the field may be turned on its head during the 67km kayak stage, with four-time Olympic gold medallist Ian Ferguson in action.
Ferguson is in the team section competing with former New Zealand cricketer Mark Richardson.
Both remained competitive finishing, in 6hr 26min 35sec yesterday to finish midfield.
