KEY POINTS:
Taylor Gunman was the standout rider at the North Island SS cycling championships, winning the individual road race and spearheading his Westlake BHS team to a comfortable win in the senior boy's team time trial.
The trials, held in very cold and wet conditions on a Gordonton-based course,
produced some good racing with Auckland teams showing the advantage of their regular Sunday morning waterfront racing by claiming three of the four titles.
WBHS won the senior boys 19s from AGS who also finished second behind St Kentigern in the junior boys.
Diocesan were 48s clear of St Kentigern in the senior girls but Waikato Diocesan's quartet of Georgia Periam, Catherine Moser, Emma Lummis and Amy Ruddick prevented an Auckland clean sweep in winning the junior girls race by half a minute from Auckland Diocesan with Waikato Diocesan's second team third.
Sunday's individual races were blessed with better weather conditions for the 10 races held on new Ngaruawahia-based circuits.
While many of the top riders were missing - away for international racing in South Africa and Australia - there was still talent aplenty on show with Gunman showing out in a big field. He was rarely under any pressure and crossed the finish line 20s clear of the field.
Most races were decided in bunch finishes with the strongest sprinters showing out although Amelia Watkinson (Diocesan) did get half a minute clear of the senior girl's field at one stage before beating Chloe Harding-Sheath (Massey HS) by 4s.
In an outstanding ride, Kristin's Alex Stancliffe rode away from the under-15 boy's field to win by more than a minute.
In one of the tight finishes, Racquel Sheath (Whangaparaoa) took the under-15 title after winning the under-14 crown last year.
WBHS took the trophy as the top boy's school while Auckland Diocesan picked up the girl's trophy donated by the Ngaruawahia Lions Club.
Attention now turns to the September 5-7 individual races including the Mt Wellington hillclimb and the national team's championships in Levin from September 25-27.
RUGBY
NORTH HARBOUR
WBHS had to dig deep and come from behind to beat Rangitoto 14-6 in the feature 1st XV match on Saturday.
Rangitoto, with first use of the wind and despite having a couple of decisions going against them, led 6-0 - with two Richard Mills penalties - at halftime.
Westlake upped the pressure after the break but were still tested by a strong Michael Lee-led defensive effort until late in the game when tries to Peter Hellesoe and, in the last seconds of the match, Connor O'Malley got them home.
It was almost as tight as Massey sneaked home 5-3 over Orewa.
Kane Moor scored the only try of the match to give Massey a 5-0 lead which was reduced when Phillippe O'Connell kicked a penalty in a game played in wildly varying weather conditions.
Good tries to Dean Lewis, Ryan Turner and Adam Langley laid the foundation for Mahurangi's 20-3 win over Kaipara in a game played in hail, strong winds, heavy rain and lightning.
TGS got home 12-5 over Birkenhead in another game which could have gone either way. Barnabus Petelo scored a deserved late try for Birkenhead. Kristin also scored a late try to seal their 18-10 win over Long Bay in another game in which the shocking weather played its part.
Rosmini had the biggest win of the round, racing to a 62-0 win over Northcote.
* College Sport will break for the holidays and return on July 30.