Lachlan Renshaw has taken out the Balmoral Burn ahead of a field packed with Australia's best 800m runners.

Renshaw racked up his fourth win over the arduous 420 metre race which scales Awaba Street at Mosman, finishing one second ahead of Australian junior 1500m and 3000m record holder Ryan Gregson, with Australian 800m bronze medalist Werner Botha taking third a further second behind.

Renshaw rated this year's win as the hardest yet.

"It's the best field the race has had in a while," he said.

"We went out harder at the start and all died a bit in the end, which is why I think the time was slower than last year," explained Renshaw, whose winning time of 1:21 was a mere second slower than his convincing victory last year.

Despite his experience in the event, which sees the athletes make a verticle rise of approximately 25 metres during the race, Renshaw had to run hard all the way to the line.

"I was never confident of the win - it's the kind of race where things can change very quickly. I tied up with about 10 metres to go and Ryan was closing on me fast. It's a tough race that way."

Renshaw will depart for Europe in less than a fortnight to train and race in preparation for his participation in the world university games, where his goal is to make the final. But the 22 year old also has bigger plans in mind.

"I want to be running fast times and qualify for the world championships," he said, with the A-qualifier of 1:45.40 and B-qualifier of 1:46.60 firmly on his mind.

"I'll have two weeks of training and then do some low key races. Hopefully I get into a bigger race at the end of June."

Lara Nicod took out the women's event in 1:47, one second ahead of 14 year old Jessica Durand, with Australian junior 800m champion Selma Kajan in third in 1:49.

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