What a way to bring up a century. Presiding over the New Zealand Sevens team at the 100th World Series tournament in history - also his 100th career event - Gordon Tietjens beemed from ear to ear in Edinburgh.
It was a case of another job very well done for the New Zealand Sevens coach.
He may have been in charge of New Zealand's Sevens side for 18 years, and lifted countless World Series titles, but the sight of his captain DJ Forbes lifting the trophy was still enough to make the old eyes sparkle.
"It has been a very tough year, a good year, winning four out of the eight tournaments," said Tietjens, looking back on a season where they were never far from the rostrum.
Denied by eventual champions England at the semi final stage in Dubai, the kiwis hit back to beat them a week later in South Africa and kick-start a remarkable run of form.
Young Declan O'Donnell was outstanding in inspiring them to victory on their home patch in Wellington and, although South Africa hit top form to take the title in Las Vegas, the kiwis were back at their best in Hong Kong.
Tomasi Cama was their heart beat, the man at the centre of everything. Skipper DJ Forbes was again the ball winner supreme and Lote Raikabula his right hand man, but in Cama and the unsung Mikkelson, Tietjens had two of the season's outstanding and most consistent players, nowhere moreso than a week later in Adelaide where a first hand was laid on the HSBC Sevens World Series trophy.
New boys Frank Halai and O'Donnell shone too with the likes of Buxton Popoali'i and Toby Arnold ably assisting in a superb team effort.
South Africa finished the season in a rich vein of form to take their second and third titles in London and Edinburgh respectively - and snatch second place overall from England - but two semi final appearances were more than enough to guarantee New Zealand a ninth World Series crown.
"I think what is really pleasing is that we won the World Series in a year where Sevens is growing, it is a lot stronger now," added Tietjens.
"Winning four tournaments was great and the semi finals was the worst we did so that is a great result and I just hope it continues."
