New Zealand have taken the first stage of the Australia-New Zealand Challenge, winning 13 classes to 7 at the Oceania Middle Distance Championships.

For a time Australia looked like they might have a chance of becoming the first visiting country since 1994 to win a Challenge event, but New Zealand’s dominance in the junior classes, which were run late in the day, eventually settled the matter. It was a close-run thing, with three of New Zealand’s wins being by less than a minute.

Thirteen Australians took Oceania titles while Grace Crane (W21E) and Blair Trewin (M40) were the leading Oceania competitors in their classes.  Major placegetters were:

M10      1  Torren Arthur    W10   1  Alyssia Wymer

M12      1  Kylian Wymer;  3 Noah Poland     W12   2  Joanna Hill;  3 Zoe Melhuish

M14      1  Matias Salonen

M18      3  Ashley Nankervis

M20      2  Henry McNulty,   3  Brodie Nankervis     W20  1  Heather Muir

M21      3   Fedor Iskhakov

W35      1  Cathy Hogg

M40      1  Mikko Salonen, 2  Blair Trewin    W40  1  Heidi Salonen,   3  Anita Scherrer

W45      2  Wendy Reid,  3  Isabelle Wymer

W50      2  Anthea Feaver

M55      1  Geoff Lawford,  2   Paul Pacque          W55  1  Sue Key,   3  Julia Prudhoe

M60      2  Bert Elson,  3  Nick Dent       W60   1  Lynne Dabbs,  3  Carol Brownlie

M65      3  Tony Simpkins

M70      1  Alex Tarr      W75  1 Ann Ingwersen, 2  Jean Balwin,  3  Janet Tarr

M80      2  Gordon Howitt         W80   1  Maureen Ogilvie

Competition continues with the World Cup sprint qualification from 1pm (NZ time) today, while the next Oceania Championship event is the sprint on Tuesday.