After an unprecedented playoff lasting 11 questions, two teams from Ashburton Intermediate were named the joint winners of the Otago Daily Times Extra! Current Events Quiz for years 7 and 8 in Timaru last night.
To top off the school's dominance, another team from the school came third.
After a contest at Timaru Boys' High School involving 44 teams from throughout the central South Island, the playoff began after Ashburton Intermediate's No 3 team (Ashley Kelland, Jaime Pitt-Mackay and Ashley Van Stade) and No 4 team (twin brothers Cameron and David Ellis and Olivia Scott) were tied after 10 rounds.
Topics included newsmakers, events in time, mapping, flags and national and international news.
ODT Extra! editor Ivan Behrnes said it was the first time in the quiz's eight-year history that a tie for first place had been called.
After 11 questions, the judges decided the two teams could not be separated, he said.
It was also "extremely rare" for one school to fill the first three places. The contest was close throughout, with seven teams separated by only three points going into the penultimate round.
Ashburton Intermediate No 3 team member Jaime Pitt-Mackay said the school's success could be put down to a lot of practice and "because we work well as a team", while No 4 team member Cameron Ellis said "we stay cool under pressure".
Earlier in the evening, another school from the Mid Canterbury town triumphed, with an Ashburton Borough School team winning the quiz for years 5 and 6, with a score of 95 points out of 100.
In a contest involving 25 teams from Oamaru to Methven, the team of Hamish Sheate, Oskar McLaughlan and Harry Galbraith took the lead after the seventh round and held on until the 10th to claim their victory and the spoils of a plaque, medals and book vouchers.
Close behind Ashburton Borough School was Temuka Primary School No 2 with 92 points, while St Joseph's Timaru No 1 came third on 90 points.
