Near freezing temperatures and fierce winds were not enough to stop Kurt Fearnley from posting a stunning victory in the New York Marathon overnight.
The Paralympic champion ensured a perfect end to his 2008 season when he pushed to victory more than a minute faster than his nearest rival, to secure the New York title for the third time in as many years.
While his winning time of 1:44.50 was more than 15 minutes slower than his 2006 course record, Fearnley still sealed his place in the record book, becoming the only man in history to win the New York Marathon three times.
"That was hard work. To finish the year off with a win here is amazing. I haven't raced in conditions like that in years, it was a shock to the system and reminded me of winter back in Carcoar" Fearnley said.
"I love this city and I love this race, that's three in-a-row now, I'd like to make it a few more."
It capped a brilliant day for Australian wheelchair racing after Christie Dawes surged home strongly to snatch third place in the women's marathon.
Dawes fought all the way before clinching third position when she edged out Great Britain's Shelley Woods in an exciting photo finish. Switzerland's Edith Hunkeler won the women's race from American Amanda McGrory.
For Fearnley, his third consecutive victory in the Big Apple put the icing on a season highlighted by the defence of his wheelchair marathon title at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.
The 27-year-old also won two silvers and a bronze in Beijing on top of a host of other international titles throughout his 2008 campaign, the most recent being last month's Chicago Marathon.
"I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. It's time to reflect and it's time to celebrate," Fearnley said.
"I haven't had the chance to sit down and think about everything that's happened this year. After Beijing it was straight to Chicago and then here.
"I'll save the reflecting for when I get home though, I'm in New York, I won and I've got a couple of Aussies here to celebrate with, it couldn't get any better."
After the big names moved through the 10 kilometre mark in the lead pack, Fearnley decided to make his move, with Japan's Masazumi Soejima and Mexico's Aaron Gordian going with him.
The trio opened up a one minute gap over the chasing pack by the half way mark, but by 30 kilometres, it was all Fearnley.
By the 35 kilometre marker, the gap was more than two minutes and although the Australian tired over the closing two kilometres, he did enough to beat Soejima (1:46.10) by almost one and a half minutes. Gordian (1:46.57) held on for third.
