It's too close to call as girls give their all

Rebecca Baker, 11, left, on her way to winning the Year 7 girls race, was shoulder to shoulder with Caitlyn Alabaster, 12. Photo / STUART MUNRO 120913WCSMCROSSCOUNTRY1

From individuals to teams, the honours were shared across a number of schools at the 2013 Wanganui Inter-Intermediate Cross-Country Championships on Thursday.

There were 130 runners from 14-15 schools huffing and puffing their way around the golf course at host St George's school as the 1.9km and 2.8km distances around the undulating sections were really taking their toll by about the third lap.

They had come to compete from as far afield as the Hunterville and Rangitikei areas.

One of the closest racers was in the Year 7 race as Kai Iwi School's Rebecca Baker was in a dead-heat to the line with Rangiwai's Caitlyn Alabaster.

The course was tough enough to spread out the field and put a bit of distance between the other finishers over the last 100m.

Counting by the top 3-to-count and the top 6-to-count, St George School (girls) and Huntley (boys) were the best of the Year 7 races over 1.9km.

Wanganui Intermediate monopolised those categories in the Year 8 runs, held over 2.8km.