Athletics: Stevens steps up to take home cup

Bevan Stevens (Caversham) upset the pundits with a stunning turn of speed on the final lap to win the Edmond Cup steeplechase at Wingatui racecourse on Saturday.

Stevens not only upset several pre-race favourites, but now joins an impressive group of 10 other Caversham representatives to have won the 103 year-old trophy.

A 24-year-old carpet layer, Stevens was a promising junior but was almost lost to the sport following a run of disappointing results when he joined the senior ranks.

Only in recent weeks has he noticed a decisive change in his capability.

"I've been getting out training with my flatmates. We all decided to do 100 miles a week," Stevens said.

He shares a flat with clubmates Lyndon Brown, Tony Payne and Mitchell Hopping, and says the four motivate each other to rise early for a 6.30am jog every morning.

They also run in the evenings.

Stevens was aware, from experience of the course, of the need to run the early stages of the 10,000m event tactically.

"With a race like this, you have so much time to settle before turning it on in the last lap," he said.

This was the tactic Stevens took into the race and, backing his ability, he avoided the temptation to race from the front, leaving that duty to Payne and pre-race favourite Dougal Thorburn (Ariki).

Stevens stayed in the bunch before making his move on the third lap when running up to join Thorburn for the lead.

The two remained together until Stevens made his move early in the fourth and final lap, opening a 20m gap on the back straight about 1200m out.

He built on his lead in the long 400m stretch down the home straight to the finish, completing the journey in 34min 28sec.

Thorburn was second, 19sec behind, with Payne third in 34min 57sec.

Stevens' coach, Dave Stinson, also coaches Payne and fifth-placed Lyndon Brown, and with Daniel Balchin sixth, Caversham had four runners inside the top six, all well under last year's winning time of 36min 39sec.

Unfortunately for Caversham, its next two runners did not finish high enough up, so Ariki retained the six-man team trophy, finishing on 55 points, one clear of Caversham.

Highlights from other races were:- Defending champion Kirsty Morris (Leith) winning the open women's title for the fourth time in five years.

- Shauna Pali winning the junior women's title and Alex Gorrie the junior men's.

Both represent Hill City, both are pupils of Kavanagh College and both are coached by Richard Barker.

- Oliver Chignal (Hill City) scoring a stunning victory in the future champions race over 1200m.

The 12-year-old blitzed the large field and recorded a slick 4min 39sec.

Alice Cuthbert (Leith) was the best of the girls, recording 5min 26sec.