Varga's win was another highlight to what is already a breakthrough year which has seen him make his Olympic debut and earn his first top-10 ITU World Triathlon Series result in Stockholm, followed closely with a 12th place in Yokohama.

In Auckland, Varga (pictured top) led from start to finish over the 1 kilometre swim and 5km run, carrying over a huge advantage from his swim, which he extended further over the run to finish 1min 01sec ahead of 2011 aquathlon world champion Richard Stannard of Britain.

Serbia's Ognjen Stojanović finished five seconds ahead of Britain's Phil Wolfe to claim bronze.

"I never expected this year would be so good before the start of the season, so I am very happy that every race has been getting better and better," Varga said.

"A title is always a really, really amazing thing, so I'm very happy to be world champion again this year.

"Last year in Beijing I was sick and I couldn't race, so I'm happy I can race here."

Ukraine's Ivan Ivanov stormed home in the men's under-23 category to claim gold, ahead of New Zealand's Harrison Dean and Denmark's Andreas Schilling.

Luxembourg's Bob Haller claimed the junior men's gold medal, in an all-European podium with Norway's Jørgen Gundersen and Hungary's David Pap.

Nicky Samuels celebrates as she crosses the finishing line to win the ITU aquathlon world title on home soil

In the elite women's race, Samuels was buoyed by an enthusiastic home crowd as she pulled away on the 5km run to claim her first ITU world title.

It was also her second ITU win in a row, after her World Cup win in Tongyeong last month.

"I didn't know how this race would go and if I could win it, but I thought it's in New Zealand so why not go out there and give it a go," Samuels said.

"It's fabulous, we're at home and it's surreal really that we have this world series event in this big city and everything is shut down for it.

"It's so well run and with all the restaurants and people, they are all cheering for Kiwis because that's all they know and it was a great experience to be out there."

Ireland's Emma Davis claimed the silver medal and Croatia's Tea Milos finished with bronze.

Slovakia's Ivana Kuriačková won the junior women's title.

A record 780 age-group athletes and Paratriathletes also competed in the first day of action at the 2012 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final.

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