It would be good if at least every second year the race is run outside of Wanganui
Although Collegiate had a clean sweep of the six three-to-score grades, three of them by gaining the top three finishes (Junior Girls, Junior Boys and Senior Boys) there were other good individual performances.
Enough of them suggest next year, when representative relay teams are selected, that Wanganui will be able to field strong combinations for the inaugural event in Rotorua in June 2016, which will give opportunities for more runners to take the next step in the sport.
The first race in the programme produced the only really close individual finish.
Rebecca Baker (Wanganui High School) out-sprinted Caitlyn Alabaster (Collegiate), reversing the 3000m result on the track.
The two had been locked together over the 3.5km race and were clear of Sophie Redmayne (Collegiate) in third place.
Collegiate won the three-to-score from WHS by 27 points to 20, with Nga Tawa a further seven points in arrears.
WHS had the only six-to-score team.
Jack Gay (Collegiate) was a runaway winner in the Year 9 boys, well clear of Tua Ngatoka (Cullinane) in second with Travis Bayler (WHS) in third.
The close team battle was won by Collegiate with 17 points, thee clear of WHS, with Rangitikei College only four points behind.
Jane Lennox (Collegiate), who had finished 12th last year at New Zealand Schools, dominated the Junior Girls race in winning by a large margin from teammate Mia Gemmell, while Emma Abraham outsprinted her Collegiate teammate Brittney Matthews to take third.
Collegiate's score of a perfect six points was 19 ahead of Nga Tawa, with hosts Ruapehu College in third.
Ben Kelt made sure of victory in the Junior Boys from Collegiate teammate Ethan Gillespie.
There was a thirty second gap to Bruce Donald (Collegiate) in third place, which combined to provide a convincing Collegiate team win from host school Ruapehu College, with WHS in third.
Alice Bird (Collegiate), who represented NZ Schools internationally last year, was the winner of the Senior Girls.
Her teammate Megan Mackay had set a blistering early pace before dropping out.
Collegiate team captain Sophie Collins moved up to second to hold off the challenge of Emma Rainey (WHS), with triathlete Briley Zimmerman (Cullinane) one place back in fourth.
Collegiate won the teams with eight points, well clear of Nga Tawa.
In fact, the Collegiate six-to-score team finished with a creditable 27 points.
Christian Conder (Collegiate ) demonstrated his national potential with a great piece of front running to outpace his teammates Jamie Gillespie, Louis Hogan and Luke Gemmell, who occupied second to fourth places respectively, while Ryan Gray (WHS) was fifth.
Collegiate completed the clean sweep of three-to-score titles, heading off WHS by 18 points.
