The women's field is an intriguing one, with an 11th-hour entry of multiple national ironwoman champion Devon Halligan just hours before entries closed this week, pitting the 27-year-old Australian-raised Kiwi against a clutch of talented teenagers in tomorrow's annual epic.
Ōmanu's Halligan will square off against defending champion Ella Kingi (Otaki), 2018 runner-up Loredana Unsworth (Lyall Bay), Mairangi Bay's Star TeAukura and East End's Claudia Kelly, all of who still qualify for the under-19 age group.
Of that pack, Kelly's credentials are probably most impressive, having been racing - and winning - on the Oceans 38 series in Australia recently, including taking the under-19/open ironwoman double last weekend.
"I was super-stoked with racing in the weekend - I thought I was in with a shot in both irons but it was a nice surprise to take the win for both," the New Zealand team member said.
"The endurance format will be interesting for me this weekend - I'm feeling really fit at the moment in the shorter distances but I'm definitely ready to go back to my roots and give some endurance racing a crack."
Kelly also has pedigree in the 24.5km classic, which takes competitors along the stunning Mount Maunganui coastline over four legs.
As a 15-year-old in 2016, she finished fourth behind Danielle McKenzie's record-setting 2hr 25min 46sec effort and minor placings to Kirsty Wannan and Kingi.
Injury ruined her next two years, although she was fit enough to help her East End team to victory in the women's open ranks both years.
"I love the general vibe of the Monster - there are lots of athletes from all different backgrounds coming to give the enduro challenge a go and the stunning scenery makes it a really enjoyable race," she said.
Among the favourites for the men's race will be Taranaki 17-year-old Joe Collins, who stunned with a second-placing behind Mount Maunganui's Declan Dempster last year.
Collins has been living, training and racing on the Gold Coast for the past two months and has also impressed, with a seventh-placing in one of the Oceans 38 open ironman rounds and a win in one of the under-19 races.
He also represented New Zealand at the International Surf Challenge in South Africa this year.
"I've done lots of short course racing but I'm excited to have one more long race this season," Collins said. "I'm super-pumped for the race this year and would really like to take the win."
He tempered that, noting that 2017 winner Hamish Miller (Mount Maunganui) was back taking a break from his burgeoning triathlon career, while Gisborne's seemingly endless production of teenage talent was liable to throw some surprises up again.
Defending champion Dempster, meanwhile, has made the tough call to skip this weekend's race after recently moving to Australia.
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Previous Mount Monster winners:
2018: Declan Dempster (NZ), Ella Kingi (NZ)
2017: Hamish Miller (NZ), Rachel Clarke (NZ)
2016: Luke Cuff (Australia), Danielle McKenzie (NZ)
2015: Ben Cochrane (NZ), Kirsty Wannan (NZ)
2014: Max Beattie (NZ), Kirsty Wannan (NZ)
2013: Cory Taylor (NZ), Danielle McKenzie (NZ)
Race records:
Luke Cuff (2:16:33, 2016), Danielle McKenzie (2:25:46, 2016)
