Newcastle's Lauren Parker could not have been happier as she produced a flawless performance to secure a fifth straight Oceania Paratriathlon title at Stockton on Sunday.
Leading into her first race of the year, Parker conceded she was not fully fit after a five-week break following her third world title win in Abu Dhabi in November.
But the Chisholm 34-year-old revelled in the idyllic conditions on offer to be the first female across the finish line and to win the PTWC classification by almost 24 minutes ahead of the Gold Coast's Sara Tait.
"It was really good to get the win again, five years in a row," Parker told the Newcastle Herald post-race.
"I felt better than I thought I would, being not fully fit. I felt pretty strong out there.
"My power wasn't as high as it normally is on the bike, so I've got to get that strength back. But I felt good considering, and I put it all together as a hard training session so I'll only improve from there."
The event, which was part of the three-day City of Newcastle Island Triathlon Festival, was shifted to Stockton for the first time last year after previously being staged around Newcastle Foreshore.
Parker was first out of the water after the 750-metre swim leg in Newcastle harbour and increased her lead through the 20-kilometre cycle and 5km run.
She won in one hour, five minutes and 49 seconds with Tait second in 1:29.16. The men's PTWC winner Nic Beveridge (Sydney) completed the course in 1:05.19.
"It was a really good course; I really enjoyed it," Parker said.
"It was perfect weather. Newcastle brought it together this year compared to last year when it was pouring rain.
"I'm proud to be from Newcastle and to have H Events and [event organiser] Paul Humphreys behind the event. They put so much effort into making it all happen for the paratriathletes and everyone that participated in the triathlon."
The race signalled the start of a busy 18 months for Parker, who claimed a silver medal in paratriathlon at the Tokyo Paralympics and is eyeing gold next year in Paris. The Novocastrian also hopes to qualify for two hand cycling events.
Her next race is in Devonport on March 18.
"I've got to put a good block of training in first before I can feel 100 per cent on the world stage," Parker said.
"But it gives me confidence, looking at what I did today and not being fit and having only being back training a few weeks.
"So I'm looking forward to getting stronger than where I was last year and seeing what I can do in the cycling."
Cronulla's Josh Wooldridge won the standard men's triathlon of 1500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run while Western Sydney's Kristie Caplikas was the women's winner.
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