KEY POINTS:
One year on from their earlier victories, Epsom Girls Grammar and Kaipara College's mixed crews successfully defended their titles on college day at the annual Auckland Dragon Boat Festival at the Viaduct Harbour.
Helensville-based Kaipara College tasted further success as their boys' crew won that vacant title from visiting Christchurch school Shirley Boys' High School and Northcote College.
Cheered by a huge crowd, the 22-strong crews raced the 320m straight-line course flanked by some of the most impressive craft in the basin, with the spectre of the America's Cup adding to the atmosphere.
The many weeks of hard training produced some close, keenly fought racing in a carnival atmosphere.
EGGS scored the quinella in the girls' final with their blue team edging their gold line-up.
Westlake Girls High School claimed bronze.
Kaipara retained their mixed title, holding off challenges from Birkenhead and Northcote Colleges.
Athletics
Auckland
Mt Albert Grammar, the school that produced New Zealand's greatest athlete, Peter Snell, scored some stunning victories at the Auckland secondary schools finals at Mt Smart.
Led by a five-gold haul from Andrea Koenen, who won the 100m, 200m and high jump and helped her schoolmates win the 4x100m (in a record 49.44s) and 4x400m relays, MAGS also claimed a dramatic last-stride win in the senior boys' 4x400m relay as Gareth Hand charged home.
Earlier, the senior 4x100m relay had brought the crowd to their feet as King's College edged Sacred Heart College, Avondale College, AGS, Kelston Boys High School and MAGS in a blanket finish with just 0.29s separating the six teams.
Auckland Grammar's Sione Kalamafoni claimed a senior shot put record with his 17.25m best.
Cricket
Auckland
It was first-innings points only in the first round of the premier two-day championship, although it was a close-run thing at Mt Albert Grammar.
Sent in, the home team were dismissed for 122, of which Duanne Pitcher contributed 44. Their cause was not helped by having three batsmen run out. The remaining seven wickets were shared between Shehan Huri and Jerome Webby.
Led by 51 from Arjun Kade, Kelston BHS replied with 181 before dismissing MAGS for 151 in their second innings, with Rocky Khan scoring a match-high 78. Chasing 93 for outright points, the visitors struggled and, in the end, were forced into survival mode, reaching 82-8.
In difficult conditions, Westlake Boys High School rarely got above two runs an over, reaching 186 in 81 overs in their first innings against St Kentigern. St Kent's scored 118 to easily avoid the follow-on. WBHS, led by an unbeaten century from captain Tony Manning, raced to 172/3 declared, leaving St Kentigern an unlikely 214 to win. They reached 85/5.
Rosmini picked up two points for their first innings win in a high-scoring affair with Auckland Grammar School at Rosmini.
Batting first, AGS batted throughout the first day for 316/8 (and a compulsory declaration), with Cameron Saunders the best of the Rosmini attack in picking up 5-97.
Led by 97 from Seb Langridge and with a useful 53 not out from Barney King, Rosmini reached 320/6 with four overs to spare.
WBHS are at home to KBHS in the feature second round match starting on Saturday.
Waikato
Making the most of the sometimes miserable, but for them, favourable weather conditions, bowlers had a field day in sixth-round action as teams jostled for semifinal spots.
Hillcrest High kept themselves in contention with a crushing nine-wicket win over struggling Morrinsville. Morrinsville were rolled for 97 and Hillcrest hit off the winning runs for the loss of only one wicket.
It was even worse as Matamata College and Hamilton BHS 4th XI managed a paltry 119 runs in a match in which all 20 wickets fell.
Batting first after being sent in, Matamata were quickly undone by a combination of some splendid catches and inept batting as James Dunsmuir bagged four wickets as the innings stalled at 67.
That soon assumed titanic proportions for HBHS as Matamata captain Toby Hawes took centre stage, claiming 6-10 from his 10 overs. With 11 extras as top scorer, the innings ended at 52, handing Matamata an improbable 15-run victory.
Led by 80 from Fraser Kilgour, St Peter's amassed 209 after winning the toss at the St John's College wicket. In wet conditions, the home side were well contained by the St Peter's attack led by Warwick Lynn (3-31) and managed just 119.
Fraser High School pulled off an upset win over Hamilton BHS 3rd XI on the back of a good match double from Andrew McLean, who scored the only half-century as Fraser overcame the loss of an early wicket to post 163. McLean and Jared Pye added an invaluable 74 for the second wicket.
McLean then picked up a useful 3-18 to back bowling hero Anthony Mangino 5-32 from 10 overs as they skittled HBHS for 138. Water polo Unbeaten in their six matches, including a 7-4 triumph over arch-rivals Rangitoto College in the final, Westlake GHS won their first North Island secondary schools title since 1994.
After winning their opener 16-0 over St Kentigern College, WGHS posted five good wins in their remaining matches. Their closest battles were against Diocesan (5-3) in their last section game and Queen Margaret (8-6) in the semifinals.
Coached by former student Lynlee Smith, the team, led by the tournament's most valuable player, Jasmine Myles, and Tessa Monash (one of the three most promising players), will be looking for more of the same at next month's national championships in Lower Hutt.
Across the road at Westlake BHS there was more celebrating as they beat AGS 5-4 in the boys final.
