Training may have been a mixed bag during the week but everything fell into place for Meffan as he dealt with the 12,000m course full of surface changes and a stern southerly wind.
Despite recording a convincing victory, clocking 40min 45sec, and overcoming an early challenge from Stafford Thompson (Ariki), Meffan had mixed emotions as he added the title to his Edmond Cup win.
''I don't know what it was. I didn't even think the course was that slow. I just felt rubbish today.''
After overcoming the threat posed by Thompson, Meffan faced the challenge of Caversham clubmate Joshua Baan, who, while in the same field as Meffan, was contesting the associated 8000m junior men's title.
''I was trying to beat Josh through his 8km, but soon realised that was never going to happen,'' Meffan said.
''Course conditions were irregular, which kept breaking up your stride.''
Meffan felt it in his legs for the 4km after Baan crossed to win the junior men's title, realising he had put in too much work going into the wind.
Meffan was pleased to have completed the cross-country double for the season, and goes into the national event in Christchurch in two weeks as Otago's top prospect in the senior men's field.
Two weeks after that, he will chase the Otago road championship title on the Clyde to Alexandra course, before preparing in earnest with coach Matt Ingram for the world mountain running championships in Italy in September.
Baan, who burst on to the local scene when he finished second to Meffan in the Edmond Cup, made short work of the under-20 field on Saturday.
Baan (18), the national junior 5000m track champion, has proven in his two races over the past month that he will be a force on the winter calendar over the coming years, with his front-running ability.
Shireen Crumpton (Hill City-University) added to her impressive record on the course, winning her ninth senior women's title since 1998.
Crumpton, who last won the title in 2009, has established a remarkable record in the Otago championship event.
She won her first Otago cross-country title as a 16-year-old, in the women's under-20 grade 25 years ago, and since turning senior has outclassed many highly-ranked athletes to win the senior women's event 10 times.
Her victory in 2001 came while registered with Counties-Manukau, making her ineligible for the title.
Otago triathlon champion Susannah Lynch (Hill City-University) was made to work hard for the junior women's title contested over 6000m. Lynch recorded 24min 19sec, overcoming a strong challenge from Charlotte Cahill (Ariki), to win by just 1sec.
Oliver Chignall (Hill City-University) again impressed in winning the junior men's under-18 title in 21min 4sec on the 6000m course.
On the 4000m course, national secondary schools champion Hanna English (Ariki) was convincing in winning the junior women's under-18 title in 15min 3sec.
