The five-time winner could equal the men’s record for title wins held by Russell Hurring, who claimed six victories from 1990 to 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 will return to Te Anau at the end of a breakthrough 2023 in which he has produced outstanding debut performances in two major trail running events — a fifth in the Western States 160km endurance run in California, and 12th at Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc in France, 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 at the Auckland Marathon, instead preferring to concentrate on the Queenstown Marathon and 60km Kepler Challenge.
"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 third Queenstown Marathon victory in November, but given the different programme he has been running in 2023, he is not entirely sure how they will go in Te Anau.
He is hoping to highlight his hill speed development, something he has been working on since joining Italian-based British coach Robbie Britton earlier this year.
"I’ve been putting a lot of work into my vert training, as much for Kepler as for next year as well.
‘‘The hills are somewhere I think I can make the biggest amount of time on. I hope that shows on the lead-up to Luxmore and across the tops."
That does not 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 4hr 33min record in last January’s Covid-rescheduled Kepler when he ran 4hr 37min.
Two of Jones’ other title wins came on the weather-enforced alternative Kepler course.
"It’s not a race that I go there just to get a record. 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, though.
"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.
The Kepler Challenge, first held in 1988, caps the field at 450 runners for the 60km loop course on the Kepler Track that includes 1074m of elevation gain.
The event includes the Luxmore Grunt, a companion race taking runners 27km from the Te Anau Control Gates to the Luxmore Hut and back.
