Dunedin's Andy Pohl (22) emerged victorious but the big question was whether world No 1 female cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk (28), of Poland, who finished second, could have mowed him down if her bike pedal had not come off earlier in the race.
Pohl was happy with his decision to go hard from the start of the run because Wanaka multisporter Gavin Mason ran the first leg a little slower than expected.
Mason had to work hard to catch up with Pohl and Canterbury triathlete Axel Reiser on the bike, which he achieved in the sixth and final lap.
Pohl said he knew Mason was coming but he felt comfortable with that because he knew he was the faster skier.
"He's a great cyclist, big Gav. He's got a reputation for being a total monster, so I was pretty happy to hold him for as long as I did," Pohl said.
In transition banter between the pair, Mason asked Pohl to go easy for the first two of three ski laps but Pohl was clearly not out for a picnic and left Mason behind within 100m.
Meanwhile, Kowalczyk fixed her bike, started the ski leg in fourth place and fulfilled spectators' expectations by destroying first Reiser and later Mason, just before the finish line.
"I went better than expected," Mason said afterwards.
"I guess in an optimistic way, yes, I would have liked to have beaten her, but to be honest, no, I didn't think so. I needed her pedal to fall off in the first lap, not the third."
The athletes and spectators were clearly in awe of Kowalczyk, who demonstrated in her first winter triathlon that she is a supremely fit runner and powerful cyclist.
"It was good fun," Kowalczyk said afterwards.
"It is a very demanding sport. I put my focus on the ski leg and overtaking the men's field. It was good fun and perhaps I will try the sport again."
Kowalcyzk's mechanical problems cost her several minutes and she finished 6min behind Pohl and 23sec in front of Mason.
