St George's Rebecca Boden-Cave, front, eyes up her competition at the start of the Year 7 Girls race which she would win at the Whanganui Inter-Intermediate Cross Country championships on Thursday.
St George's Rebecca Boden-Cave, front, eyes up her competition at the start of the Year 7 Girls race which she would win at the Whanganui Inter-Intermediate Cross Country championships on Thursday.
As it has been for much of their lives, it was another Rennie family 1-2 for the twins from Whanganui Intermediate School at the 2019 Whanganui Inter-Intermediate Cross Country championships on Thursday afternoon.
Again, a record 17 schools sent representatives to the Whanganui Collegiate golf course to make the runacross four boys and girls divisions, although the overall number of 185 was slightly down on the 200 from 2018.
Weather conditions were perfect for the race, although the slight breeze made for a good tailwind leaving from the starter's line, but a tough head wind on the undulating hills on the back end of the course.
In the 2.7km Year 8 girls race, it was Carrie Rennie and her sister Teresa who went out hard and left the chasers behind, with Carrie eventually pulling away to win in 10m 58s, 17 seconds clear of Teresa, while Bridget Trott of the hosting St George's School took third, a further 11 seconds back.
While both sisters have been standout competitors in cross country and Tough Kids events, the win was sweet for Carrie Rennie, who finished runnerup in the Year 7 girls race last year.
There were three different banners represented on the podium in the Year 8 boys race, as Westmere's Thomas Gowan just finished four seconds ahead of St George's Oliver Jones, who won the 2018 Year 7 race, while Whanganui Intermediate's Tawai Pinnok was third.
Other family connections were found among the placings in the Year 7 races for this year. Huntley School's Kate Speedy had lived up to her surname in previous years as she was runnerup for the Year 7 girls in 2017 and then won the Year 8 girls race last year.
In the 1.9km races on Thursday, a Meg Speedy was third for the girls event while Henry Speedy came runnerup in the boys just one second.
The winners of those races were St George's Rebecca Boden-Cave (7m 27s) and Rutherford Junior High's Tiarahi Williams (7m 5s) respectively.
Rutherford Junior High's Tiarahi Williams comes home to win a close Year 7 Boys race from Henry Speedy and Jack Goodwin.
Runnerup for the girls was Hunterville's Savannah McDougall, while third for the boys was her school mate Jack Goodwin in a close finish with Williams and Speedy.
Among the 3-to-count and 6-to-count team titles, Whanganui Intermediate claimed three victories, while St George's and Huntley both got two and Westmere picked up one after missing out last year.
Teams 3 to Count – Year 7 Girls: 1. St George's (18); 2. Hunterville (22); 3. WIS (23). Year 7 Boys: 1. Huntley (16); 2. Hunterville (33); 3. St Anne's (40). Year 8 Girls: 1. WIS (11); 2. St George's (16); 3. Westmere (29). Year 8 Boys: 1. Westmere (18); 2=. St George's (26); 2=. WIS (26) 6 to Count – Year 7 Girls: 1. St George's (73); 2. WIS (78); 3. Huntley (142). Year 7 Boys: 1. Huntley (63); 2. WIS (125); 3. Hunterville (131). Year 8 Girls: 1. WIS (68); 2. St George's (70); 3. St Anne's (175). Year 8 Boys: 1. WIS (84); 2. St George's (121); 3. Huntley (125).
