Billed as the Battle of the Basin, the highly anticipated showdown at Jack Reid Park was a mud bath, and conditions became so difficult that part of the second half was played under lights.
Within 30 minutes, both rugby teams were playing in brown jerseys thanks to heavy overnight rain, which changed their game plans.
The top of the table clash was a torrid affair. Both teams were unyielding as the park turned into a quagmire. It might not recover for the rest of the season.
At the final whistle it was Wakatipu which left the paddock victorious, beating the home side 14-11. Each team scored one try apiece - the difference in the scores boiled down to discipline, handling errors and penalties.
Despite an earlier kick-off time of 2pm, a front which brought more heavy rain quickly hid the sunshine, making it difficult for spectators and players to see clearly, and the lights were switched on in the latter part of the second half.
Wakatipu led Arrowtown 9-6 at halftime, with both of the tries coming in the second half - Wakatipu wing Tony Farley dotted down first, before Arrowtown's Nathan Pullar, the team's player of the day, answered with a try of his own.
Arrowtown coach Hayden Finch said ultimately "the better team won on the day".
"We gave away too many silly penalties. We played well in the last 30 minutes, but it was a bit late in those conditions to claw our way back."
Finch said the muddy conditions "kind of ruined the game" with the game plans boiling down to which side made the least mistakes.
"They [Wakatipu] played more consistently. We've got a lot of work to do."
However, Arrowtown remains second on the Central Otago Premier Rugby table - now behind Wakatipu - after Clyde-Earnscleugh suffered a shock loss to Upper Clutha on Saturday.
The Wanaka side thumped the visiting team - which now remains third on the table - 44-0.
Wakatipu coach Kelvin Middleton said he was "gobsmacked" at that result.
"I don't know what, how or why that happened.
"I don't know whether they planned it like that ... Clyde are a very good team and they deserve to be in the top couple of the competition, but it works out well for us.
"We're just trying to plan it that we don't play Arrowtown again until the final."
Of Saturday's bruising encounter, Middleton said his side was "incredibly happy" to get the win over "probably one of the top teams in the competition".
"She was pretty tough weather, but [I'm] very pleased that our forwards stood up to the test, because our backs have been fantastic all year ... it was just the icing on the cake."
Middleton said the condition of the field was not helped with two games having been played on the paddock earlier in the day, which meant boggy conditions existed before the premier encounter began.
"They [Arrowtown] preferred a boggy field because they wanted to take us on in the forwards.
"It backfired. I don't think the grounds will recover and [I think ] they're going to have to start training at the Events Centre.
"If it gets frost on it, it will be dead."
Middleton said Wakatipu's player of the day was Redaelli.
"He was saving lives on Thursday and pulling the forwards out like he did and playing a full 80 minutes was extremely good."
Wakatipu will have its final White Horse Cup challenge of 2012 this Saturday when it meets Cromwell at the Queenstown Rec Ground.
Kickoff for the game is 2.45pm.
