WAIALUA — Moanalua senior Kalen Darling is a triathlete whose least favorite leg is the run.

It was difficult to tell, though, as he ran away with the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Cross Country Championship yesterday at Waialua High School.

In the girls race, Radford freshman Shelby Yoakum won in her first varsity meet of the season, and led the Rams to their first team title since 1981.

Leilehua won its first boys team title by placing four runners in the top 11.

Darling said his "hard" training days for triathlons consist of 3 hours of swimming, an hour of biking and 30 minutes to an hour of running.

"I like to swim," said Darling, who said his goal is to compete in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. "It's a lot cooler and running just burns you up. I like the biking next. Running is the thing you have to be good at. A lot of people don't enjoy it. I try my best to enjoy it."

Darling finished the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 39.33 seconds. Nanakuli senior David King was second in 17:04.95 and Kailua sophomore Kensuke Taylor placed third in 17:07.59.

"I sort of made my move on the hills," Darling said. "I know that's where everybody's weakness tends to be. So I attacked up there on the hill."

He added "there really wasn't much time to set up for that hill" because it started just a mile and a half into the race.

King, the only member of the Golden Hawks' team, said: "I got locked in at the beginning. I was probably back in the 30s and I had to run almost full tilt to catch up with the lead pack."

In the 3-mile girls race, Yoakum finished in 19:45.76, Kaiser junior Lei-Aloha Bratton was second in 19:47.82 and Radford sophomore Kia Atkins followed in 20:16.45.

Yoakum competed on the Rams' junior varsity team this season, and was called up after winning the OIA JV title last week.

"I kind of knew I'd be one of the top ones (yesterday), but I never expected to be first," said Yoakum, who said she made her move in the second mile.

Rams coach Elizabeth Patton said she kept Yoakum on the JV because "I wanted her to stay at her level — JV — and have that opportunity to win her division. I know that was going to happen and when the time came for her to move up, I did that."

Yoakum's victory yesterday might be a one-shot deal because her father, who is in the Air Force, may be transferred from Hickam Air Force Base.

"At Radford High School we never know how long the kids are going to stay, and unfortunately she's going to be gone next year," Patton said. "Hopefully things work out and she can stay with us longer."

Yoakum has also lived in California, Virginia and Georgia.

"I like it here," she said. "I'd rather stay here than move."

Radford finished with 37 points, 'Aiea was second with 61 and Mililani had 114.

"All year they've been working really hard and they deserve it," Patton said.

Leilehua's boys finished with 49 points, Moanalua was second with 68 and Pearl City third with 105. The Mules' Alan Akagi (17:12.18) finished fourth, Bryce Jenkins (17:13.04) fifth, Matthew Roberts (17:18.88) sixth and Rooney Racoma (17:37.99) 11th.

"The kids are more motivated this year," said third-year Leilehua coach Shawn Nakata. "They've been in the program for a little while and have more experience."

Akagi said Leilehua was motivated after not winning the OIA West meet two weeks ago.

"At Westerns, Campbell beat us and that really pushed us today," he said.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.