Okaihau College's Mathew Zenovich maintained his reputation as a strong time trialist with a third placing at the New Zealand Individual Secondary School Road Cycling Championships in Auckland.
The teenager won bronze in the under-16 boys individual time trial at the championships in Mt Wellington.
Hayden McCormick, of Hamilton's St John's College,
won the age-group in 5 minutes 37 seconds, only four seconds faster than Zenovich.
Speeds were fast, with the top four under-16 boys averaging more than 42km/hr despite a tough head wind on the return leg of the 4km flat course.
Fourth overall after the hill climb, Zenovich needed a top-three finish in Sunday's final race, a 10-lap criterium around a tight 1.5km circuit.
He rode well with the lead pack, winning points in four intermediate sprints, but was just edged out of third place in the final sprint. He finished fourth, two points off another bronze medal.
Bream Bay College's Nadya Worthy was well-placed to finish in the top-10 overall in the under-20 women's category after her strong hill climb and time trial. But determined riding by school teams prevented her from finishing high enough in the final sprint, despite two third places in intermediate sprints.
Also in action for Northland was Tim Riddell and Matthew Markby of Whangarei Boys' High School, Kamo High School's Sam Frizelle and William Arnold of Pompallier Catholic College.
Staged over three days, the annual event allowed for 470 competitors to race in three disciplines - a time trial, a hill climb up Mt Wellington and a criterium.
