HILO, Hawai`i--As expected, Hawai`i Pacific's Robyn Kaltenbrunn was the runaway winner of the UH Hilo Invitational on late Friday afternoon at the Grand Naniloa Resort Golf Course.

What came as a bit of surprise was that her teammates helped Kaltenbrunn and the Sharks sneak away with the team title on the Vulcan's home course. Last week on Oahu, Kaltenbrunn was the individual winner but it was the Vulcans who defeated the Sharks at the HPU Loa campus course.

HPU's Karen Corona Perez finished second behind Kaltenbrunn's blistering pace. Corona Perez clocked 22:27.7 on the five-kilometer course, while the South African Kaltenbrunn crossed the line in 21:30.3. Chaminade's Olivia Mariucci was third in 22:31.5.

The Vulcans had the next two runners in Emma Heidelmeier (22:52.2) and Olivia Jarvis (23:19.1) while HPU and UHH split the next four places, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Oahu visitors. Hawaii Pacific turned in a team score of 24, with UH Hilo next at 32. Chaminade didn't have enough runners for tally a team score.

Last week on Oahu, the Vulcans defeated the Sharks, 22-35.

Warm conditions with no breeze (80 degrees at race start) may have played a factor for all, and for the Vulcans they had to run without their third-best runner from last week, Makena Morris. Morris turned an ankle yesterday in practice.

Today's third runner for UHH was Caitlin Kawaiaea in seventh place (23:45.1), followed by Leilani Stone in ninth (23:57.6), Lily Gavagan (26:00.7), Sabina Boo-Rivera (26:48.9) and Aurea Streadbeck (29:52.4).

Earlier in the men's 5K race, Hawai`i Pacific's Jona Bodirsky was the winner in 16:20.7.

The Vulcans will now get ready for the final race of the shortened 2020-21 season on February 27 at the HPU PacWest Invitational.

WOMEN AND MEN'S RACE RESULTS
https://www.tfrrs.org/results/xc/17605/Hawaii_Hilo_Invitational#118281