Papamoa's Mason Bryant was up with the leaders until the ski leg. Photo / Andrew Warner
Papamoa life saving club member Mason Bryant's surprise assault on the favourites threatened, for a moment at least, to make the Mount Monster synonymous with giant killing.
The 18-year-old planned to stick with the leaders on the opening run along Main Beach to Tay St and back, but surprised even
himself by building a solid lead by the time he was the first to leap from the blowhole on the back of Moturiki Island to begin the swim leg.
"I wanted to just stay with the front guys on the run but they ended up blowing at the blowhole on the way back," Bryant said after learning his five minute time penalty from the swim leg had left him in sixth place in the open category.
The youngster was thrilled to have matched it for so long with the two big names of winner Max Beattie and runner-up Cory Taylor.
"I went off on the ski with them and stayed with them for a little bit but I couldn't stay with them obviously - they're so good.
