Defending Mount Monster champion Hamish Miller reckons he's as fit as he's ever been.
But don't take that as a guarantee he'll be able to back up in Saturday's prestigious surf lifesaving endurance race.
The 20-year-old Mount Maunganui lifeguard has switched focus this year to triathlon, swapping out board and ski paddling for miles upon miles on the bike. Whether that translates to a second consecutive Monster title is an intriguing sub-plot in the Dexion-sponsored Monster, which will feature nearly 350 surf athletes chasing $10,000 in prizes for 24.5km along the stunning Mount Maunganui coastline.
'I've stepped up my running mileage a lot since last year with the change in sports,” says Hamish, 'and my swimming programme is relatively similar, so hopefully that will really cross over to the Mount Monster.
'I haven't been doing much ski or board, but maybe my legs being stronger will help with the leg-drive on the ski leg and board paddling. It's a different way to train and I'm intrigued how it's going to go on the day.”
Now studying at Waikato University, based in Hamilton, Miller has some experience in the triathlon ranks, having placed nationally at New Zealand secondary school level and winning the national aquathon title in 2015.
After making the New Zealand youth surf lifesaving team in 2016, he chose to put his focus in the ocean realm, mostly because it didn't involve two wheels.
'I used to hate biking,” he admits. 'I'd hop on and my legs would be dead by the 10km mark!
'This winter, I've been really focusing on getting some solid biking and running under my belt, and now that I've got a little bit fitter at it, I can actually manage a 50-60km ride. I'm enjoying it, and the new type of training and the new challenge is really going well.”
Miller's main competition this weekend is expected to come from his Mount Maunganui club-mate Declan Dempster, who was runner-up and Under-19 winner last year.
Dempster is just back from helping the Junior Black Fins to an historic world title in Adelaide and, together with the likes of Coolangatta Gold short-course champion Joe Collins (Fitzroy), should push hard for the title.
The teams division continues the strong multisport theme - defending team champions The Shark Tank features top New Zealand kayaker Kurtis Imrie, leading open water swimmer Matt Scott and Commonwealth Games triathlon medallist Tayler Reid, alongside Black Fin Andrew Trembath.
ITU world cup triathlete Anneke Jenkins will also line up in a team, as will teenaged cross country star Sam Tanner.
There have been five different men's winners of the Mount Monster, which was first run in 2013, while Danielle McKenzie and Kirsty Wannan are both double-winners in the women's race.
McKenzie, who was second in the Coolangatta Gold long-course race in October, holds the women's race record of 2hrs 25mins 46secs, set in 2016. That was the same year Australian Luke Cuff set the men's record - a blistering 2:16.33.
The race starts and finishes at Mount Maunganui's Main Beach, and comprises a 5km run to Tay Street and back, a 1500m swim which includes a 6m rock jump off Moturiki Island's blowhole, a 12km ski paddle and a 6km board paddle.
For the second year in a row, the event will start with the Mini Monster - an endurance race specifically for athletes under 14, with the main event kicking off at 10am.
Previous Mount Monster winners:
2017: Hamish Miller (NZ), Rachel Clarke (NZ)
2016: Luke Cuff (Australia), Danielle McKenzie (NZ)
2015: Ben Cochrane (NZ), Kirsty Wannan (NZ)
2014: Max Beattie (NZ), Kirsty Wannan (NZ)
2013: Cory Taylor (NZ), Danielle McKenzie (NZ)
Race records: Luke Cuff (2:16:33, 2016), Danielle McKenzie