While Brown was wowing the huge crowds yet again, it was a new face but familiar name on the triathlon circuit which won the women's race, Scottish athlete Catriona Morrison.
Morrison went close to a race record time in adding her name to the 25-year honour roll.
She won the women's race in a time of 4h 11m 21s, about half a minute behind the record.
Defending 2013 champion Graham O'Grady, from Taupo, was first out of the water on Saturday, closely followed by Mark Bowstead (Auckland), Hamish Hammond (Greytown) and Callum Millward (Auckland). Brown was 41 seconds back in among a chase group that included Coast to Coast champion Braden Currie (Wanaka).
The ride away from Pilot Bay to Papamoa was into a light headwind and saw the field close a little.
Bowstead then put the hammer down on the second lap, establishing a two-minute lead off the bike, with Brown riding into second ahead of a tiring Millward and O'Grady.
Meanwhile, Currie had struggled, after a winter on the mountain bike, to adjust to the road and had lost seven minutes to the leaders. Brown was soon in his comfort zone during the 21km run, reeling in Bowstead before taking the lead at the 14km mark to enjoy his run home.
"That was great today, I love racing at this event, I have so many good memories here over the years," Brown said.
"I just raced my own race today and resisted the urge to go too quick, especially on the bike.
"The first win was great but to win at 41 is something special, I don't think there are many 41-year-olds who can do that."
The event carried New Zealand Long Distance Championship status, with age group spots on the line at the ITU Long Distance Championships in Weihai, China.
