Wanaka's Jess Simson emphatically announced her arrival on the multisport scene with victory in the women's section of the two-day event at the Coast to Coast on Saturday.
Simson (28) recorded an outstanding win in 12hr 48min 11sec.
She carried on the good form she showed on Friday, with a slick kayak stage, despite running low on nutrition and beginning to fade over the final few kilometres on the water.
Simson perked up through the transition and within a few minutes of the bike section to Sumner, she was back to her best.
''I've learnt a lot of things out there,'' she said.
What made Simson's result even more meritorious was that fact that she had ''lone ranger support''. Husband Hazen was the sole member of her support crew.
''He did it all himself. And he's got a bad back. He even lifted me out of the kayak.''
Simson is considering a step up to the Longest Day event next year.
''I'm quite committed to the cause of advancing in the sport. Hopefully, I'll be doing this for a few years to come.''
With a little less than 12 months' experience behind her, it appears Simson will be a name to watch in adventure racing and multisport for a while.
Simson's recent adventure racing team-mate, Seamus Meikle, was also in dominant form as he clinched the two-day men's title.
Meikle (27), from Greymouth, began the second day holding a 18min 2sec lead, after an outstanding alpine run.
His main goal was to catch Aaron Mallett (Whakatane), who started in a wave ahead of him. As competitors start the second day in waves, Meikle seized the challenge of Mallet being placed ahead of him.
He overcame some blustery conditions on the water to overtake Mallett just before the conclusion of the 67km kayaking stage.
Meikle's original plan was to contest the Longest Day section for the third consecutive year, after being encouraged by his top 10 placing last year, following his 19th in 2011.
But after picking up a stomach virus while competing in China last November, he opted for the safety of the two-day individual section.
''I still haven't shaken it yet,'' Meikle said of the virus he picked up while contesting the Wulong Mountain Quest.
''It hasn't gone away and it wouldn't be very good for the Longest Day.''
Meikle, who by his own admission is more suited to the multi-day challenges, was contesting the Wulong event as a member of a team with Simson in one of her first international adventure races, Graeme Hill (Greymouth), and Adam Milne (Christchurch).
Second teams title for McKinstry
It was a special moment for Auckland's Steve McKinstry (Auckland) when he crossed the line for his second consecutive teams title on Saturday.
McKinstry (30), who cycled and ran while in Dunedin as a student, raced with memories of his mother, Mary, who died in November.
''You could say she's here today. There is not many moments that she's not thought of,'' he said.
McKinstry first competed in the event in 2007, when he won the two-day individual men's section. He returned to contest the Longest Day in 2009 and finished ninth in 12hr 44min 50sec.
In 2011, he finished fourth in the teams section with Joseph Petelo. Last year, he and Nelson roofing contractor Daniel Busch won the title in 11hr 22min 30sec, McKinstry clocking a record time for the team section of 1hr 40min 8sec on the 70km cycle from Gorge Bridge to Sumner.
On Saturday, McKinstry was quick to praise the performance of Busch, who capitalised on McKinstry's alpine run the day before by paddling through the whole field, after starting in the last wave of competitors, to put victory within their grasp.
McKinstry's powerful ride into the teeth of a northeasterly sealed the victory over the 70km bike ride into Sumner.
Although McKinstry would like to return next year and attempt to win a third with Busch, work commitments as a doctor at Middlemore Hospital could curtail that wish.
