Meanwhile, American Meredith Kessler has claimed her fifth straight title in the women's race, breaking her own course record she set last year. She finished in 8:56:08, breaking her old record by over eight minutes.
It could have been an even faster race for Kessler, who took a wrong turn late on in the bike leg, costing her a couple of minutes.
"I'm absolutely pumped. You know, I felt responsible to the city of Taupo to deliver on that, they have just been so welcoming to my husband and I."
She said she was looking for the course record and was rapt to get it.
Kessler said when it gets tough out on the course she tries to think of people who would love to be in her position and it drives her forward.
"I just think about people who can't. And people who want to do what we are doing and maybe they are injured or disabled and not able to, and that motivates me."
Second place went to Lucy Gossage (Great Britain) in a time of 9:05:08 while Australian Carrie Lester finished in 9:07:19.
