Andrew Whyte will lead the charge to become just the fourth person to beat the clock in the 24th Time Buster tomorrow.
Whyte (Hill City-University) and the other 11 runners, the maximum allowed in the street race, will set off on the 243m run around the Octagon when the Town Hall clock rings out its first of 10 chimes at 10am.
Only three runners have beaten the clock's 10 chimes - the aim of the race - an accomplishment which earns the runner $250.
Former New Zealand 400m champion Cory Innes (Taieri) was the first when he ran the record time of 31.63sec in 2008.
Winner Andrew Moore (Hill City-University) and clubmate Toby Flett both did it the following year, but failed to beat the record.
The annual run, which starts and finishes outside the New Zealand Shop, can be a good earner for competitors, who get $300 for winning, and can add $500 for breaking the record and $250 for beating the chimes.
Whyte, the Otago 400m record-holder (46.25sec) and race favorite, will need to make a good start to be the first runner to the top of the hill by the Robbie Burns statue, the key to the race.
The runner who reaches the top of the hill first can control the race on the downhill stretch to the Regent Theatre.
Felix McDonald (Taieri) and Rory O'Neill (Ariki) will push Whyte hard.
The women's race is expected to be extremely tight as Christina Ashton (Taieri), Caitlyn George, Madaline Spence (both Hill City-University) and Danica Davies (Taieri) fight it out for first.
Liz Wilson (52), who finished second last year in 40.81sec, is also back for another go.
Daniel O'Shea won the men's race the past two years, and barely missed out on beating the chimes a year ago in 34.31sec.
Taieri's Zoey Flockton won the women's race in 40.03sec.
by Robert van Royen
