The 6x1500m senior men’s race featured a fierce competition between Hill City-University and Leith with multiple lead changes throughout.
While HCU led after the first leg, the teams remained close.
Leg three featured a powerful surge from Leith’s Simon Cromarty before Thomas White (HCU) almost closed the gap in a strong last lap.
On the last leg, HCU runner Jake Owen (coached by Mike Weddell) made a decisive break from Graham Fisher (Leith), running 4min 5sec to secure both the win and fastest time of the day.
Successfully defending the title for a third year, the team of Owen, White, Matt Bolter, Thomas Weatherall, Caleb Dobier and Oskar Ehrhardt finished in 26min 2sec, followed by Leith in 26min 27sec.
"It was a ding-dong battle," HCU president Mark Geddes said.
"The lead changed about four times between Hill City and Leith. It was a really, really good race."
The Leith senior women continued their strong form from last year, defending the title from Hill City-University for a second year.
Less than a month after her win at the Christchurch marathon, Becky Aitkenhead (HCU) ran the fastest leg with a time of 4min 41sec.
"It was a fantastic last leg from her," Geddes said.
The social grade may have seemed a misleading category this year as it comprised some of the most intense competition of the event.
While the lead was initially held by a team of Hill City-University decathletes, recent Otago schools Logan Park road race champion Dan Kelleher brought Caversham well in front with a 4min 27sec split to claim the fastest time of the race.
South Island secondary schools 100m and 200m champion Brooke Darcy eventually found his team of HCU sprinters in the lead, just managing to hold off a significant close from New Zealand race walk record holder Laura Langley (Caversham) to cross the line first.
It was business as usual for Studholme College, who added a third residential college title to their win streak.
The team of Caitlin Russell, Ben Peat, Sophie Finn and George Skinner clocked a time of 23min 22sec with Salmond College close behind in 23min 45sec.
Adrien Auvray Matyn was the fastest male in 5min 1sec and Flo Melhuish was fastest female with a 5min 34sec leg.
By Matt Bolter
