Sprinter Eddie Dawkins produced a stunning final lap to guide the New Zealand men's team sprint to victory over Australia at the Oceania track cycling championships in Invercargill.
On Tuesday morning the combination of Matt Archibald, Sam Webster and Dawkins clocked 43.765 seconds to become the first New Zealand team to go under the 44sec barrier at home.
They had to work harder in the final with the Australian trio of Olympians Dan Ellis, Shane Perkins and Matthew Glaetzer in front until Dawkins produced a powerful final lap to give the Kiwis victory by just 0.04sec, clocking 43.885.
Australia took out the women's team sprint with Olympians Kaarle McCulloch and Stephanie Morton winning by 0.1sec in 34.210 from New Zealand's Katie Schofield and Stephanie Mckenzie.
It was all new for the New Zealand women's team pursuit, moving to 4000m and four riders to match the men, in a change of international regulations this year.
In their first outing the quartet of Lauren Ellis, Jaime Nielsen, Rushlee Buchanan and newcomer Georgia Williams rode an outstanding 4:29.000 to head off the strong challenge from Australia who were only 0.035sec behind.
The New Zealand men showed their improvement from the recent Manchester World Cup to dip under the four minute barrier.
The quartet of Dylan Kennett, Pieter Bulling, Marc Ryan and Aaron Gate clocked 3:59.385 to hold off the Australian combination by a second.
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