North Harbour beat Counties-Manukau 29-26 in the final, bouncing back from a first-day defeat to the South Auckland side.
The two sides had looked a cut above any other outfit over the weekend, but when they clashed in pool play on Saturday it was the team from South Auckland which had come out on top, 22-17.
But North Harbour coach Geoff Alley said his side did not worry and he knew he would have his full-strength side ready to play for last night's final.
North Harbour went out to an early 12-0 lead in the final and, although Counties-Manukau came back to lead halfway through the second half, a 50m run and try by flyweight back Luke Hamilton put North Harbour back in front.
Hamilton won the player of the tournament prize, proving you do not have to resemble a heavyweight boxer to make an impact in the sevens game.
The 25-year-old was a livewire throughout and he threw his slight frame all over the paddock, showing some stunning speed to run down some bigger men and speed through the smallest of gaps.
Normally a halfback in the 15-a-side form of the game, he has signed for Northland this season.
Alley said the side had a motto to have constant and never-ending improvement throughout the tournament.
He believed his side was the fittest side in the tournament and that told in the end.
"We just had to eliminate the mistakes. When we played them the first time we gifted them a couple of tries so we knew if we could control the ball then we'd be right.
"The fitness really tells. A 10min each-way final, guys start to fall off tackles and get a bit tired. I told our trainer at the start of the season I wanted the fittest team here and that is what he did."
Harbour won the first sevens tournament staged in Queenstown in 2004, and the only remaining member of that side still in the team yesterday was former Highlanders winger Vili Waqaseduadua.
The Fijian over the weekend showed he can be a real threat when on top of his game, possessing blinding speed off the mark.
Nafi Tuitavake was also a constant threat for Harbour.
Counties-Manukau made a couple of crucial mistakes in the final and coughed up too much ball.
Back Tim Nanai-Williams was composed and set up play well while Chad Tuoro was rarely beaten.
It was the bridesmaid tag for the second year in a row for the South Auckland side after losing to Auckland in the final last year.
Counties-Manukau manager George Cunningham said the side was very disappointed but gave credit to Harbour which took its chances.
The side missed a couple of easy tackles and might have been overly physical for a Harbour side which could play both a speed game and a confrontational match.
Counties-Manukau coach Joeli Vidiri had an eventful tournament.
The former All Black has a kidney disease and inadvertently brought down two lots of the same medicine, leaving one form of medicine at home in the North Island.
A quick call to the crowd led to an arrangement for some medicine to be brought from Invercargill.
Other players to stand out throughout the weekend were Wellington outside backs Joe Hill and Julian Savea, Southland back Willie Rickards, Manawatu backs Dan Smith and Tomasi Cama, Bay of Plenty forward Callum Armstrong, Northland speedster Brooke Gilmore and Taranaki captain Brett Goodin.
Defending champion Auckland had a disappointing tournament, falling to Wellington in pool play and then losing to Counties-Manukau and Taranaki yesterday.
All Black halfback Piri Weepu turned out for Wellington and showed plenty of physicality although he did not have the blinding speed of some on display.
Wellington almost knocked out North Harbour in the quarterfinals, losing right at the end 22-19.
Wellington had the satisfaction of winning the plate 38-33 over Taranaki, coming back from a 15-plus points deficit.
Otago won the bowl while Southland, after losing its first four games, beat Hawkes Bay and Northland to win the shield, with Bryan Milne scoring a try at the death to clinch the 28-21 win.
The organisers were thrilled with the turn-out, about 5000 each day.
Two streakers, one of each gender, kept the crowd entertained yesterday afternoon.
