KEY POINTS:
TAUPO - The New Zealand Ironman was back to normal on Saturday as Aucklanders Jo Lawn and Cameron Brown claimed record-breaking victories.
The wins by the most successful triathletes in the 23-year history of the event elevated them into exalted company but both refused to be compared with the legends of their sport.
After last year's almost-farcical conditions, this year's Bonita-sponsored race was blessed with near perfect conditions - a glass-like lake, little or, for the most part, no wind and temperatures that were never dangerous.
Superb conditions or not, Brown had other concerns. Bed-ridden 36 hours before the start after spending Wednesday battling diarrhoea and vomiting, he was, he admitted, on a journey into the unknown fuelled by a diet of junk food and hope.
Big Macs took on a whole new meaning for Brown as he set out to regain the title he surrendered a year ago.
He eased early concerns with a solid 45m 53s swim - his fastest yet and the first time under 46m - good enough for sixth behind American William Daniell, an age-grouper who was hardly seen after that.
Brown kept himself in contention with an encouraging 4h 43m 08s cycle leg (fourth fastest behind flying Briton Matthew Illingworth, a bike specialist) and picked up the pace with a smart 56s bike-run transition (the only competitor under a minute).
Out on the road, and with few apparent signs of the problems which threatened to ruin his day, Brown hit overdrive, wiping out the 58s start Australian Luke Bell had enjoyed off the bike.
Together, but without a word being exchanged, the transtasman rivals set out to haul in Dane Torbjorn Sindballe who had the second-fastest bike time and a lead of almost 7min in heading up the overbridge and on to the 42.1km run leg.
Sindballe tried valiantly to hold on but had no chance against the Antipodean challenge.
With the only sub-three hour run times, Brown (fastest on the day with 2h 51m 10s, but his slowest in eight attempts since 1999) and Bell (2h 53m 15s) sorted themselves out once they had seen Sindballe off on the run up to the airport the second time.
Eventually Brown's greater experience and mental fortitude won the day as he cleared out to win by more than a minute in 8h 26m 33s - more than six minutes slower than his 2005 record.
"I had to push my body at 100 per cent," said Brown. "The run was hard. I tried a couple of times to shake Luke on the hills but it was not easy.
"I tried with a bit of a surge and pushed even harder with 5km or 6km to go. Thankfully I got away, as I wanted to enjoy the last 3km."
The effort took its toll. Welcomed across the line by wife Jenny and his two sons - who had also suffered with the same illness - Brown needed treatment including a drip before, more than an hour later, making it to the post-race media conference.
Reminded he had joined ironman greats Mark Allen and Dave Scott as the only athletes to win the same ironman championship six times, Brown was happy to join such esteemed company, but played down played his achievement.
"They are legends in our sport," said Brown.
"Their efforts in winning the world championship [in Hawaii] six times are totally different."
The crowds cheering him home, and aware of what he had battled to even get to the start line, would not agree. For them, Brown deserves all the accolades going his way.
And who would dare bet against a seventh in 2008?
Lawn's win at Taupo was her fifth, putting her one ahead of Erin Baker's four victories between 1986 and 1994.
Reminded of that, an emotional Lawn said she was glad to get this one out of the way.
"Now we can say I have done five."
Ahead from the time she turned in her best swim - she was first woman and ninth overall - Lawn held centre stage.
"I was struggling in the latter stages of the run," said Lawn. "I was aware the record was on but once I started cramping I had to ease back and just make sure I saw it through.
"All week I was saying there was no pressure [to beat Baker's record], but I just said I have to win first before I can think about the record.
"I'm really happy to have done what I have done but I don't see myself as a second Erin Baker.
"She's a legend."
