Ben Anderson (Caversham) and Louisa Andrew (Leith), appear set to offer strong resistance in defence of their respective senior titles in the re-formated Edmond Cup Steeplechase event at Wingatui Racecourse today.
First held in 1907, the century-old cross-country race has remained a focal point of interclub rivalry among Otago and Southland harrier clubs. But a changing social climate and a crowded competitive calendar has resulted in organiser Athletics Otago radically reducing the course distances to those of 100 years ago. It is now a 5km race.
The senior men's event, for instance, has been raced over 10.4km over the past 50 years but, by reducing it back to something close to the original distance, it is hoped to make both the individual and team sections more competitive.
Another major change to the format is the running of the open men, open women, junior and masters grades together. The team title will be decided on the first six men across all age-groups from the same club to finish and the first four in the women's section.
The reduced distance has meant the race for individual honours in each of the men's and women's sections is is not as clear-cut as has been the case in previous years.
Defending champion Anderson first has to overcome club mate Peter Meffan, the Otago cross-country champion for the past two years. Promising Hill City-University Club juniors Oliver Chignell, Kirk Madgwick, Glen Chisholm, Ben Wardhaugh and Lochie Chittock, backed up by champion masters Mike Wakelin and Kerrin Williams, could be in line to feature in breaking the club's 20-year wait for another team title in the event.
A recent run of good form could see 2012 Otago marathon champion Jason Palmer (Leith) also put in a strong challenge.
Louisa Andrew (Leith) will be odds-on favourite for the open women's title, but clubmate Mel Aitken could unseat the defending champion. Other challenges could come from Hill City-University juniors Hannah Adamson, Charlotte Homan and Susannah Lynch.
The open men's and women's races both start at 2.15pm at Wingatui.
