Otago middle distance champion Ben Anderson withstood a strong challenge from talented junior Ollie Chignell (Hill City University) to hand Caversham its fifth senior men's Lovelock Relay title in six years at the University Oval on Saturday.
Anderson bid a triumphant farewell to his Caversham club as he is soon to depart the southern hemisphere winter for competition on a British grand prix mile circuit.
He will not return until after attending the world athletic championships in Beijing in August as a spectator, leaving a huge gap to be filled within the senior men's ranks of both the Caversham club and Otago cross country teams.
It was a true captain's knock and a run of class from Anderson on Saturday, as he held off a determined Chignell to seal the prestigious 6 x 1500m relay title.
Anderson captained Caversham to a fourth consecutive Lovelock Relay title two years ago, but a star studded New Brighton team spoiled the party last year.
''It's nice to get it back on the shelf,'' Anderson said.
Anderson might be missing the rest of the cross country season but Caversham showed on Saturday it will still be a competitive force, with Josh Baan, Matt Moloney, Jonah Smith, Lorenz Kissling and Jake Jackson Grammar also boasting impressive pedigrees.
New Zealand junior cross country and road champion Baan, fresh from a 5000m race victory in the morning, helped split the field early in the first leg, handing the baton to Moloney with a 3sec lead.
It was uncharted territory for Maloney, who made the switch from representative hockey to running just 12 months ago.
''That was my first 1500m [race],'' Maloney said.
Maloney battled to keep the Hill City University team and Kirk Madgewick in check before handing on to Otago 5000m, 10,000m and steeplechase champion Smith.
Like Moloney, he had to battle throughout the four laps of the University Oval to keep a determined challenge from Matthew Ogle and a buoyant Hill City University team in check.
With the two teams stealing a lap on the rest, Kissling and Jackson Grammar were kept honest by Hill City University's Kerrin Williams and Tom Spencer and the teams changed for the sixth and final leg locked together.
Anderson was unable to shake Chignell, until he turned it up a notch midway through the third lap to hold a 5sec advantage entering the final lap.
Anderson then found another gear on the back straight and, with an impressive turn of speed, crossed to hand his team victory in 25min 55sec.
Chignell crossed for the Hill City University No 1 team in 26min 9sec. The Hill City University No 2 team was the best of the chasing teams, crossing for third in 29min 30sec.
Anderson recorded the fastest 1500m time of the day, clocking 4min 2sec.
Hill City University teams continued their dominance of the senior women's 4 x 1500m title, when Jessie Murphy, Rose Stamm, Bella Bloomfield and Susannah Lynch led the field from start to finish, taking just 21min 2sec to reclaim the title for their club.
Such was the dominance of the Hill City University club in the senior women's event, its No 2 and No 3 teams finished second and third respectively and it became the first club to fill all three podium spots in the event.
The No 2 team finished in 21min 49sec and the No 3 team in 23min 26sec.
Lynch claimed fastest time honours, completing her 1500m in 5min 6sec.
