Weather wise the 2019 coast to coast has been one of two halves.
It was a dark and damp start as the 150 competitors started the longest day on Saturday.
With recent champions Sam Clark and Braeden Currie not competing this year the race was considered wide open -14 title hopefuls clearing out from the pack.
Last year's runner up Alex Hunt of Australia was prominent during the 30 kilometre mountain run.
The 33-year-old led the field over goats pass, though there was the comical sight there of him dropping his lollies, and spending valuable time recovering them.
On the eastern side of the Southern Alps it was hot and windy, but by the time they started the 70 kilometre paddle, Hunt was still the one to catch.
Top kiwi hopefuls Dougal Allan from Wanaka and And Christchurch's Sam Manson were among those within five minutes.
And so it turned out, river levels were down but with a sizeable tailwind, Manson went from fourth to race leader.
On the final cycle into New Brighton it was Allan who cleared out to win, a victory a decade in the making.
Newshub.
