Defending champion Daniel Jones is looking forward to enjoying a couple of cold ones at The Moose after Saturday’s 60km Kepler Challenge mountain run in Te Anau.

You can’t blame the four-time Kepler men’s champion for looking forward to a bit of relaxation at Te Anau’s well-known lakeside watering hole.

He is closing in on Russell Hurring’s record of six men’s titles from 1990 to 1995 and is coming off the back of wins at the Auckland (completing an historic three-peat) and Queenstown marathons over the past month.

It’s been a demanding end to 2022 and Jones plans to take the rest of the year off before turning his focus to the Tarawera ultramarathon in February, where a top two finish would see him qualify for the Western States 100 mile endurance run, arguably the pinnacle ultra marathon in the United States.

“I’m a sucker for punishment,” the 32-year-old said.

“I do really enjoy the Kepler, it’s a beautiful trail run and it’s not hugely technical, which suits my style of running, but it’s more than just the race - it’s a real community event. The organisers do such a great job and the volunteers are fantastic…the atmosphere at the finish line and The Moose afterwards. With no Auckland marathon straight afterwards I’ll be able to have a beer which will be nice.”

Jones has his own endurance coaching business and will also have a number of athletes on the starting line on Saturday.

He gets almost as big a kick out of seeing them do well as he does from his own running.

“It really gives me motivation seeing them hitting their goals and having a great time.”

Jones will be challenged by the likes of fellow Wellingtonian David Haunschmidt, who finished runner-up in the rescheduled Kepler Challenge in January.

Without six-time women’s champion Ruby Muir, 2021 winner Ruth Croft or runner-up Nancy Jiang on the start line this year’s women’s title will be an even more intriguing battle.

Fairlie’s Katie Morgan, who finished third behind Croft and Jiang in January, is returning, and there will be interest in the form of former Great Britain mountain running representative Sophie Grant.

The 27km Luxmore Grunt also shapes as a fascinating encounter, with defending men’s champion and current record holder Daniel Balchin (Alexandra) and Etienne Blaumstein-Jones, a three-time Australian world mountain running representative, in the men’s field.

Queenstown’s Sarah Douglas, who finished runner-up to Caitlin Fielder in January, will be joined in the women’s field by fellow New Zealand mountain running representative Maddie Dillon (Auckland), while Jiang has also opted for the Grunt after injury curtailed her training.

The Kepler Challenge gets underway from 6am on Saturday from the Lake Te Anau control gates, with the Luxmore Grunt starting an hour later.

Kepler Challenge organising committee chair Steve Norris said the Te Anau community were looking forward to hosting the race in its traditional December timeslot, as well as welcoming back a number of international participants now that border restrictions have been eased.

“The forecast looks really good and the town is buzzing, it should be a great day,” he said.