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Ultra-runner Daniel Jones is looking to make it a sixth straight Kepler Challenge title in Fiordland on Saturday.
With the potential for a record-equalling sixth Kepler Challenge mountain race title, top New Zealand ultra-runner Daniel Jones is as interested as anyone to see how he goes in Te Anau on Saturday.
The five-time winner could equal the men’s record for title wins currently held by Russell Hurring, who claimed half a dozen victories between 1990 and 1995.
Ruby Muir also has six Kepler titles to her credit, including four in a row from 2012 to 2015, along with wins in 2017 and 2019.
Jones returns to Te Anau at the end of a breakthrough year in which he produced outstanding debut performances in two iconic trail-running events: a fifth-place finish in the Western States 160km endurance run in California; and 12th place at the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc in France, which is regarded as the most competitive ultra trail marathon in the world.
After racing two of the sport’s pinnacle events within a couple of months of each other, the 33-year-old opted not to compete in this year’s Auckland marathon.
He had preferred instead to concentrate on the Queenstown marathon earlier this month, achieving his third victory in the event, and the 60km Kepler Challenge in Fiordland.
“It’s been a big year, and it’s been about getting back into fitness nicely, without trying to rush things,” he said.
Jones was happy with the way his legs felt on the way to his Queenstown win, but given the different programme he has been running this year, he’s not entirely sure how they will go in Te Anau.
He is hoping to showcase his hill speed development, something he has been working on since joining with Italy-based coach Robbie Britton earlier this year.
“The hills are somewhere I think I can make the biggest amount of time on,” he said. “I hope that shows on the lead-up to Luxmore and across the tops.”
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Daniel Jones gets to take in some pretty amazing parts of the world doing what he does.
That doesn’t mean Jones is preoccupied with chasing down the decade-old race record set by Martin Dent in 2013.
Jones came closest to knocking over Dent’s record of 4hr 33min in last January’s rescheduled Kepler when he ran 4hr 37min. Two of Jones’ other title wins came on the weather-enforced alternative Kepler course.
“I go there because I enjoy the race itself. It’s about heading down to Te Anau and having a fun weekend. I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself this year, and to be honest I just want to come down and enjoy the race.”
With the likes of Daniel Balchin and David Haunschmidt on the start line, Jones is hoping for some good racing.
“I think it’s going to be a competitive year anyway. I just take each race as it comes; I don’t really know where my fitness is at. Going into Kepler I’ve done Queenstown, but having not done Auckland, maybe I’m a little fresher.”
Nancy Jiang, who has stood on all three levels of the podium at the past three editions of the Kepler, is also returning for 2023 and is expected to be one of the race favourites.