Columba College held off a strong late attack by St Hilda's Collegiate School to win at the annual Kings Relays in Dunedin yesterday.
The team of Hanna English, Ella Harris, Holly Barclay and Charlotte Cahill won the senior girls event in 26min 27sec. St Hilda's was second in 26min 36sec.
English gave Columba a 24sec start at the end of the first lap but St Hilda's closed the gap to 6sec before the final lap. It took a strong run by Cahill to hold out St Hilda's fourth runner Meg McKay on the last lap.
English and Cahill shared fastest time with 6min 9sec and McKay was third in 6min 13sec.
The Otago Boys' High School team of Ben Wardhaugh, Manaen Pohl, Josh Petermann and Chris McNoe won the senior boys race in 22min 47sec from a fast-finishing John McGlashan College in 22min 50sec and King's High School in 23min 26sec.
Otago Boys' led by 10sec before the final lap but a brilliant run by Ollie Chignall closed the gap to 3sec at the finish.
Chignall ran the fastest lap time of 5min 14sec from Aaron Anderson (Bayfield High School), who clocked 5min 24sec and Christian Blackie (Otago Boys' B) in 5min 38sec.
A record 48 teams entered the event held on a block around the South Dunedin streets surrounding King's and Queen's High Schools and Bathgate Primary School.
The race is organised annually by the Caversham Harrier and Athletics Club.
