Multisport: Cool Cam delivers perfect 10

Cameron Brown made a crucial break during the 180km cycle leg during yesterday's Taupo Ironman. Photo / Getty Images

There must be something in the salmon.

In weather conditions from hell, Cameron Brown produced a performance from the heavens yesterday to win the New Zealand Ironman.

The rain never stopped all day and neither did Brown, storming to a record 10th victory in Taupo. He crossed the finish line in 8 hours, 31 minutes and seven seconds, more than 10 minutes ahead of compatriot Terenzo Bozzone.

The 38-year-old, who claims he is "still improving", becomes the first person in the history of ironman to win the same event 10 times, having first triumphed at Taupo in 2001. The only time he has been beaten since then was in 2006 when the race was shortened to a 90km cycle and 21km run in even worse conditions than yesterday.

But as he contemplated his special achievement yesterday, he said he would swap them all for a win at Kona, the Holy Grail of ironman racing.

As Brown splashed through deep puddles down the finishing chute, he stopped for an extended hug with his parents 200m from home, no doubt quietly thanking his mother for the salmon pasta she has faithfully prepared over the last decade as his pre-race meal.

"It's an incredible feeling to win here 10 times," Brown said. "I still remember the first one so vividly, so 10 is amazing. I tried to enjoy the last couple of kilometres but I couldn't - there was too much pain.

"It's pretty special what I did today, but I still want to win Hawaii - that's probably the ultimate goal. I'd probably trade all those wins for a win in Hawaii."

The 26-year-old Bozzone, who was also runner-up in 2009 and 2010, came into the race with high hopes of dethroning the king but masked his disappointment by paying tribute to Brown.

"When Cameron retires, I can win one," he said with a smile. "He is the ultimate competitor. I went out pretty solidly [in the run] and Cameron was still running away from me. I tried - but Cameron is Cameron."

The key moment of yesterday's race came 120km into the 180km cycle leg, when Brown pulled away from a bunch of leading contenders.

Brown had earlier got "knocked around" in a "terrible" swim, but had caught up after 45km on the bike.

"I put a gap on them and thought, 'I better go now'," he said. "That is where the race starts really - 120km, 130km. That is when everybody starts feeling the fatigue and it sets in. The gap grew and grew - I was surprised but it was a nice feeling getting off the bike."

The race started in appalling conditions which just got worse. As the leaders streamed in, organisers were laying hay bales around the grandstand and finish-line, to soak up water as the ground began to resemble a swamp. Former Olympic canoeist Ben Fouhy, who has talked about a future in ironman, was looking on.

Bozzone said he was "chilled to the bone" on the bike, and his hands were still numb 20 minutes after the race as he tucked into his traditional post-race treat of double cheese pizza.

For his part, Brown was "freezing" out on the course, especially downhill on the bike, while third place-getter Mathias Hecht joked: "I'm from Switzerland - but that was cold."

Brent Foster led the men out of the water, with Bozzone just over a minute behind. Brown was a further three minutes back, in sixth place.

On the bike, it was hard to sizzle in the constant drizzle. Canadian swim/bike specialist Scott Curry took an early lead, ahead of the chasing pack, which included Brown, Bozzone, fellow Kiwi Keegan Williams, Czech Petr Vabrousek and Hecht.

The 34-year-old Vabrousek, who eventually finished sixth, chalked up his 100th ironman yesterday, and averages a staggering 10 per year. Most ironman athletes compete in two or three annually.

After Brown had pulled away, he finished the cycle leg almost five minutes up on Bozzone.

Ironman is a brutal sport but Brown's running style is a thing of beauty.

He strides bolt upright and his head remains so still he could probably complete the course with a glass of water balanced on his bonce.

He hauled Curry in within the first 8km of the marathon, announcing to the rest of the field - catch me if you can.

Nobody could, and nobody did.