Cameron Brown and Jo Lawn have rolled back the years to claim victories in the Port of Tauranga half-ironman at Mt Maunganui.
Brown's win was his ninth in the event, while Lawn set a women's record with her fourth title.
After the 2km swim, Brown was a minute behind the leaders, who included defending champion Callum Millward, but he bridged the gap on the 90km cycle leg.
The two Aucklanders then went stride for stride until Brown pulled away during a downhill stretch on the second half of the course.
"To win this title nine times and to win it again at 39 against the young guys is special," said Brown, who clocked 3hr 53min 42sec.
"With eight weeks to go until Ironman New Zealand, it shows I'm in really good form, probably more advanced than I've been for some time."
Lawn, 38, was first out of the water in her race but had mechanical issues with her bike and was reined in by fellow Aucklander Belinda Harper.
The pair began the run clear of the rest of the field, but Lawn reasserted herself and finished in 4:22.54, with another Aucklander, Hannah Lawrence, grabbing second place ahead of Dunedin's Tamsyn Hayes.
NZN