The wind rose as the field lined up at the start, but did little to unsettle Stevens, who was unfazed by the sudden emergence of a strong head-wind in the back straight.
He quickly shot to the front and grabbed the inside running, with clubmate Daniel Balchin on his shoulder and Ben Anderson (also Caversham) leading a bunched field just behind.
Balchin took the lead at the bell, with the pair crossing in 60sec, as they both set off into the wind, leaving the field behind to battle for third in their wake.
Stevens, who initially thought of putting his foot down 300m out, left it until turning out of the wind at the 200m mark.
Balchin went with his turn of pace but could only match his speed down the home straight, with Stevens crossing in 1min 58.37sec, and Balchin on his shoulder to finish second in 1min 58.86sec, with Anderson third in 2min 0.35sec.
"That was a good wee blowout," Stevens said after picking himself up after collapsing, Dick Tayler-style, at the side of the track.
Stevens (26), a carpet layer, recently began training with Balchin and coach Mike Weddell, and has noticed an immediate improvement in his performances. He has dropped his 200m rep times from 27sec to 25sec.
The day went from wind to wet for the start of the 3000m, but it was of little consequence for Dougal Thorburn (Ariki), who was competing on his 31st birthday.
Thorburn set the pace and, with the field up, it was only Alex Gorrie (University of Canterbury) who could match his early pace.
But when Gorrie fell away in the middle stages, the race was all Thorburn as he blasted his way around the track, to hold a 150m lead over Gorrie as he took the bell for the final lap.
Finishing in a time of 8min 37.40sec surprised Thorburn, as he wasn't expecting a sub-9min time, given his recent training.
But it proved a boost to Thorburn's confidence as he prepares to contest the national 3000m championship in Dunedin on February 18.
Other highlights from the meeting:
• Matt Robinson (St Pauls) recording the 100m and 200m sprint double. He won the 100m in 10.94sec and 200m in 22.23sec.
• Marshall Hall (Taieri) winning the senior men's discus with a throw of 50.74m.
• Nicole Bradley (Bay Cougars) winning the junior women's hammer throw with a distance of 48.43m. Dean Rusbatch won the junior men's with 48.49m, but with big improvements from Hamish Finnie, with a personal best by 70cm of 45.45m, and Todd Bates, with a personal best by 2m of 42.96m, there will be plenty of competition for Rusbatch to come.
