Already recognised as the fastest in the world over the ultimate distance, Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker showed he is no slouch over the half distance either with a come-from-behind win in yesterday's Ironman NZ championship.
Delayed 24 hours and shortened because of the weather, the switch played into the hands ofsome of the professionals in the 1600-strong field but was a big disadvantage to others, no more so than 10-time winner Cameron Brown who struggled to keep pace with his younger rivals but managed a credible third behind Vanhoenacker and Australian Tim Reed.
Fourth-seeded woman American Meredith Kessler completed the first international double since Thomas Hellriegel, of Germany, and Canadian Lisa Bentley claimed the top spots in 2000. Like Brown, perennial women's winner Jo Lawn had to settle for third behind Kessler and fifth seed Kate Bevilaqua.
Even as late as 5am yesterday there were doubts there would be a race but the wind dropped, the lake became swimmable and, for the second time in six years, a shortened race went ahead.
Estonian Marko Albert took the lead out of the water but he was soon reeled in by a chase bunch of eight riders on the 90km cycle leg. With all the guns in that bunch, the pace went up and the race for the rest was over.
Terenzo Bozzone was fastest on the bike and led the field out on the two-lap 21.1km run leg but he was soon struggling as Vanhoenacker charged to the lead. He powered away to record the fastest run time and head Reed by 48s at the line with Brown, third fastest on the run, the same distance away.
Frenchman Romain Guillaume, eighth-best in the swim and cycle raced through the run to finish fourth ahead of Australian Aaron Farlow, Albert and Bozzone.
"I was struggling in the swim when I lost my goggles and had to stop, I swallowed some water and thought I was going to drown," said the relieved winner later. "I was not at all confident as I made so many mistakes."
Brown, disappointed not to have secured his 11th title, is headed for Melbourne in three weeks confident yesterday's race should have him cherry-ripe for a full ironman distance.
Asked whether he will go on to race Hawaii and then return to Taupo next year, Brown said: "You bet."
Kessler was happy with the outcome of the women's race after she too lost her goggles and also her timing chip. With such a big lead, her victory was never in doubt as she was faster than her rivals in all disciplines.
But the real disappointment was with the 554 first-timers who wanted to test themselves over the full distance.
