Team Seagate, which was made up of Bob McLachlan and Joanna Williams, both of Wanaka, Chris Forne, of Queenstown, and Stu Lynch, of Auckland, won the 725km event in the Grant Teton National Park, Wyoming in a time of 79hr 30 min 13sec, which was more than three hours ahead of the second team.
McLachlan, when contacted in the United States yesterday, said the side had a plan, stuck to it and got the benefits.
''The key is to get everyone moving as efficiently as they can. And that comes down to communication, keeping everyone informed,'' he said.
''Without everyone helping each other, then people can go downhill fast. So it is important as a team to keep everyone moving as efficiently as you can. About being really open in terms of communication. If you're not feeling good, then getting someone to help out, because if you don't, you get found out.''
McLachlan said the side was confident its strategy would have it near the front.
In the first day and a-half of the race a few teams were near the front but Team Seagate pushed on when other teams faltered and that gave them the handy advantage.
It was a varied race that McLachlan enjoyed.
''In the paddling section we had a pack raft which you had to carry along with the paddles and the life jackets. Up hills and then down a river and then pick it up and go over a hill and paddle in a lake.
''Then one checkpoint was in a cave which you had to rappel into and then find it ... there was a lot of variation. A lot of rocks and windblown trees were on the trails so you had to work hard. Then you would be biking in what was really desert and all of a sudden it would become quite sandy.''
Over the period of the race the foursome captured a total of three hours' sleep, which was one hour less than planned. One of the sleep stops involved the foursome entering a church and then finding a room beside where they caught a quick hour of sleep.
McLachlan said everything had gone to plan until they were within one descent of the finish line. A crash between Forne and Lynch led to Forne having to go without brakes on his front wheel going towards the finish line.
But a careful ride enabled the team to get there. All four members of the team had to finish to win the event.
It was McLachlan's first time winning the event, having been drawn back to the sport after thoughts of retirement last year.
He celebrated, like every good New Zealander, with a beer.
''It was a good beer. Well, I don't really know if it was a good beer but at that time it tasted like a good beer.''
Sarah Fairmaid, from Wanaka, finished 10th with three Englishmen in team Godzone Adventure.
