After solid rain during the week the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne cross-country course in Gisborne on Saturday turned into a wet boggy run with all grades having their fitness tested.
The 12 and under grades ran 2km with the standout female runners Jessica Blakeman from Gisborne Harriers and Georgia Creagh from Napier Harriers
finishing well clear of the others.
The Christison boys from Napier Harriers once again showed a clean pair of heals with Bradley finishing 11 seconds clear of Thomas in the 12 and under boys grade.
The leading girl in the 4km 14 and under race, Georgia Harris of Gisborne Harriers, prove too good for the rest while Taylor Reid, also of Gisborne, had a comfortable win in the boys 14 and under race.
Gisborne carried on their winning way in the girls 16 and under race of 4km, with Grace McConnochie being a class above the rest. She was fifth at the recent national schools cross country championships.
Toa Elphick-Iaveta of Napier Harriers won the boys 16 and under race over 6km, also by a handsome margin.
Andrea Williams and Ross McIntyre, both of Hastings Harriers, won their respective masters races comfortably.
Ni'ia Hothersall, Napier Harriers, had an impressive run to win the women's 8km race by almost two minutes while her clubmate Eric Speakman dominated the senior men's race to win by 10 minutes.
The runners selected for the national cross country championships in Waikanae next month are:
Girls 16 and under - Grace McConnochie, Monica Burnard, Annie Creagh, Holly Edmonds and Annika Smith. Boys 16 - Toa Elphick-Iaveta, Ni'ia Hotherall senior women and Eric Speakman, senior men.
* Former Napier harrier Stefan Smith won the Wellington senior men's title on Saturday.
