Kiwi star Braden Currie has fallen just short of a third Cairns Ironman title, mowed down by the eventual winner in the run to the tape.
Currie looked to have timed his race to perfection, leading during the closing marathon stage.
The day began with a traditional Aussie welcome, but all eyes were on the Kiwi, who finished third at the world championships in Utah last month.
Third out of the water, he wasted no time through the first transition, with fellow Kiwi Ben Phillips not far behind.
Currie then formed the lead pack on the bike, alongside Max Neumann, Sam Appleton and Peter Jacobs, who set a blistering pace down the stunning North Queensland coastline.
Despite taking the lead on the run, Currie wasn't able to hang on, passed by Newman with less than 10km left, as the Aussie claimed his third consecutive title and set a new course record.
The Kiwi crossed in 7h 55m, just over two minutes behind the winner.
"We raced hard - we raced really hard actually," he said.
This wasn't the result the Currie family were hoping for, but a huge effort nonetheless.
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