Oli Chignell became the youngest runner in almost 100 years to win the Edmond Cup on Saturday.
The 17 year old Hill City University runner won the individual men's open 5.4km steeplechase at the Wingatui Racecourse in 17min 40sec, making him the second youngest winner in history.
The inaugural race was held in 1907, and only T. Wilson, a 16 year old from the Olympic club in Wellington, was younger.
While further details on Wilson are sketchy, the 1921 race was just the second after a four year hiatus during World War 1.
At 17 years and 134 days old, Chignell is comfortably the youngest local winner. At 18 years and 56 days old, Blair Martin (Caversham), who won in 1993, was the previous youngest.
Chignell is keeping fine company among other young winners, including Commonwealth Games gold and silver medallist Harold Nelson, an eight time winner of the Edmond Cup.
Nelson first won the race in 1941 when he was 18 years and 57 days old, and went on to be the New Zealand captain and flag bearer at the 1948 London Olympics.
Chignell, a year 13 pupil at John McGlashan High School, set the pace from the starting gun and led from start to finish.
Jake Jackson Grammar (19), of Caversham, sat behind Chignell well into the second and final lap.
However, Chignell made his move just after the steeplechase going into the back straight.
''I got about 5m on him,'' Chignell said immediately after the race.
''I decided that was a good time to push it a wee bit.''
Jackson Grammar slipped further behind Chignell, eventually finishing 8sec behind the winner in 17min 48sec.
Kirk Madgwick (Hill City University) was third across the line in 18min 35sec. Chignell, who finished fourth in the national secondary schools cross country championships last weekend, was surprised to find out he was the youngest winner in almost 100 years.
''I just entered the race to have another run through and try and get the win,'' he said.
''It wasn't too bad. Because it's a racecourse, it's so knobbly. It's quite hard to get into a good rhythm.''
Mel Aitken (Leith) continued her best season to date, winning the women's open race in 20min 52sec.
Aitken, who finished third a year ago, held a narrow lead over Sarah Chisnall (Ariki) after the first lap, before pulling clear down the back straight.
''I know when I looked behind at the first hurdle, I saw a wee gap there, so I tried to power it off down the back straight. I knew I had distance after that,'' Aitken said at the finish line.
Chisnall finished second in 21min 5sec, while Jessie Murphy (Hill City University) was third in 21min 39sec.
Aitken, who ran a big personal best 2hr 49min 13sec at the Christchurch Marathon earlier in the month, put her dominant form down to a change in diet and training.
Hill City University won the W F Edmond Challenge Cup as the top men's open team, while Leith won the Gough Family Trophy as the best women's open team.
Edmond Cup
Youngest winners
1921: T Wilson (16), Olympic (Wellington)
2015: Oli Chignell (17 years, 134 days), Hill City University
1993: Blair Martin (18 years, 56 days), Caversham
1941: Harold Nelson (18 years, 57 days), Civil Service
2003: Max Smith (18 years, 239 days), Ariki
1927: James Barnes (18 years, 279 days), Civil Service
