The No 1 Whanganui youth team has dealt a killer blow to its nemesis to finally take out the junior title at the 2016 National Roller Hockey Championships in Wellington over Labour Weekend.
Whanganui Roller Hockey Association president Dean Fitness said River City youth teams had often made the finals, but had succumbed to the traditionally strong Wellington crews to finish runners-up.
This year, while their inline cousins were battling it out at an inter-regional competition at Jubilee Stadium at the weekend, the Whanganui roller fraternity sent two youth sides and a senior men's team to Wellington.
The No 1 youth side began as they meant to carry on beating Motueka 7-0, before dealing to Whanganui No 2 14-5. Then came Wellington who failed to overawe the Whanganui lads this year.
Whanganui ran out 5-1 winners to take the national title with 12 points from Wellington in second with 8. Motueka finished third with four points, while Whanganui No 2 ended up fourth with one point.