By David Di Somma
Canterbury University has claimed a notable double at the New Zealand Road Relay Championships.
The Canterbury team won in both the men's and women's titles, beating a demanding course and some even more demanding weather.
Since 1935 The Sign of the Takahe, on Christchurch's Port Hills, has been the starting point for one of the country's most enduring road relays.
Today the event also doubled as the national championships and as the runners limbered up and tried to keep warm, came an ominous warning.
What lay ahead for the runners was 76 kilometres - some uphill, some downhill and some even in the sleet and snow.
Canterbury University dominated the men's race, Andrew Davidson entering the finishing chute with not a rival in sight.
“On paper we had quite a buffer but it's a relay race with eight people, but then anything can happen,” he says.
Somewhat less expected was just how easily the Canterbury University club would win the women's race.
Fiona Crombie says the freezing conditions and steep hills made it tough,
“It was cold, a few laps weren't too bad - but the hill leg, leg six, was pretty rough I think,” she says.
Overall nearly 1000 runners took part; ironically it was only as most approached the finish line that the weather finally started to clear.
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