New Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden helped see off the three waves of challengers from Wakatipu High School who raised about $2500 for the cause with their entry fees.
Trustee Jackie Gillies said the 13km event, which drew 140 entrants last year, went "really well ... apart from the dreadfully timed weather".
"I think everyone enjoyed it and hopeful next year we'll get more people and better weather," she said.
The school's next year 10 camp is booked for late next month and Mrs Gillies said getting 150 pupils to their lodgings and keeping them occupied in the outdoors was certainly a "logistical challenge".
The annual outdoor education excursion has been running since the mid-1960s at Branches Station, in the Upper Shotover Valley, and the trust was set up last year to keep a cap on costs for the "no parents allowed" adventure camp.
Queenstown's Dave Drew was elated to win the cycling section in 44min 12sec, followed closely by fellow Queenstown residents Tony Middenorf and Mike Byers.
David Keith, of Queenstown, was the first runner to the finish line at Tuckers Beach in 83min 6sec and seemed quite awestruck at his achievement.
"Good grief. It was awesome, it's amazing scenery up there. It's like the moon," he said, taking in hard-earned gulps of air.
