[4] In the men's race, Carl Thackery put the British ahead by three seconds on the first leg, with Ethiopia's Wodajo Bulti in pursuit.
Takeyuki Nakayama won the third stage, bringing Japan back towards contention, while Britain maintained its lead over Ethiopia.
Mauricio González took the fourth stage for the Americas, with Ethiopia's Feyisa Melese gaining a second on Britain's Dave Clarke.
Diane Brewer spoilt the American's chances on the fifth leg, dropping nearly a minute and a half to New Zealand's Anne Audain who won the stage to take pole position, while Soviet Union's Olga Bondarenko moved up to second place.
The placings were sealed from thereon, with Anne Hare winning the sixth a last leg to leave New Zealand at the top of the podium.