Multi-sport athletes Sam Clark and Elina Ussher have won the men's and women's races on the longest day of the coast-to-coast for the second year in a row.
Clark completed the 243 kilometre course from Kumara beach on the West Coast to New Brighton in Christchurch in just under 11 hours and three minutes.
Sam Clark crosses the finish line, 2017. Photo: Photosport
The victory marked a remarkable fightback from the Whakatane athlete who came from behind to beat three-time champion Braden Currie by seven minutes.
Clark trailed Currie by 12 minutes as the men took to the first of three consecutive kayak stages but he cut the gap to just three minutes as he climbed out of the water.
Currie responded by increasing the gap to four minutes after the penultimate cycle leg only for Clark to storm home on the final 70 kilometre ride into Christchurch.
In the women's race, South African debutant Robyn Owen was leading three-time winner Ussher by seven minutes after the final kayak stage, heading into 120 kilometres of cycling to the finish.
Elina Ussher celebrates her victory, 2017. Photo: Photosport
But the Nelson based Finn turned the deficit into an 11 minute advantage with 70 kilometres of cycling to go.
Ussher swept to the finsh line in a time of 13 hours and 11 minutes, almost 18 minutes in front of Owen.
