Quincy Kuzyk, of Somersfield Academy, retained his under-16 title while Ashley Irby of Saltus Grammar School returned to take the girls’ title during the Senior Schools Cross-Country races the Arboretum yesterday.

Saltus grabbed a second individual title when Johndell Cumberbatch took the over-16 boys’ title and Brianna Mendes, of Bermuda High School, won the over-16 girls’ race.

Saltus, who won three of the four senior schools team titles last year, won the two older age groups yesterday while Berkeley Institute took the under-16 boys’ team title and Bermuda High School the under-16 girls.

Kuzyk broke the tape in 11min 53sec in a sprint to the finish with Iziah Tucker, of Berkeley, finished just a second behind. Ryan Outerbridge, of Berkeley, was third in 12:11.

Irby, who missed last year because of illness, won the three-lap girls’ race in 13:43, with Mikaela Outerbridge, of Bermuda High School, second in 14:34 while Shelby Madeiros, of Somersfield Academy, was third in 15:15.

It was close, however, in the team category where BHS (51) finished just a point ahead of Warwick Academy for first place. Saltus placed third on 68 points. In the boys, Berkeley were comfortable team winners with 30 points while Warwick Academy totalled 75 points and Saltus 80 to finish second and third.

The over-16 boys’ race also had a tight finish as Cumberbatch, second to Kuzyk last year in the under-16s, won by just a second over Robert Edwards, of Berkeley, after breaking the tape in 15:59. His Saltus team-mate, Max de Ste Croix was third in 16.10 while another promising cyclist, Kaden Hopkins, also of Saltus, was fourth in 16:29.

Saltus took the team title with 23 points while Warwick Academy was second with 57 points and Berkeley close behind in third on 59 points.

Mendes was a comfortable winner in the over-16 girls, finishing strongly in 13:13, while Laura Hope, of Saltus, was second in 14:42 and Macy Aicardi, of Warwick Academy, third in 15:52.

n In Tuesday’s middle schools races, Selah Tuzo stepped up to the over-13 age group and won another title, although she had to pull out all the stops to hold off a strong challenge from Koa Goodchild in another exciting finish.

Tuzo, who won the under-13s last year in 13:07, had a winning time of 14:08 while Goodchild, also of Saltus, finished second in 14:09. Warwick Academy’s Morgan Chevereau was third in 14:55.

Nick Pilgrim also made a smooth transition from under-13 champion to over-13 champion when the Warwick Academy student took the older age group in 11:59, 14 seconds ahead of Matthew Elliott of Somersfield. Alex Southern, of Saltus, was third in 12:33.

In the under-13 boys, Tommy Marshall, of Saltus, finished first in 11:47 while Sancho Smith, of TN Tatem, was second in 12:10 and Kahzi Sealey of Whitney third in 12:13.

Jade Johnston, of Saltus, took the under-13 girls’ race in 13:50, just a second ahead of Taylor White, of BHS, while Myeisha Sharrieff, of Somersfield, was third in 14:11.

Bermuda High School won the under-13 girls’ team title, Saltus took the under-13 boys while Saltus landed the over-13 boys’ title and finished tied (51 points) with Bermuda High School for the over-13 girls’ title.

The Primary Schools cross country will be held today at the National Sports Centre starting at 1pm.