Athletics: 10 a spur for Crumpton

Shireen Crumpton will be seeking an unprecedented 10th victory in the Otago cross-country championships at Waikouaiti today.

Crumpton (Hill City) has actually won the race 10 times but was denied the Otago title on one occasion because she was registered with an Auckland club.

Nevertheless, her record on the 8km course is impressive, and will be even more so should she win again today.

A strong field awaits her, including Otago middle-distance champion Paula Whiting (Hill City) and recently crowned Otago half marathon champion Sarah Chisnall (Ariki).

Also in the mix are last year's runner-up, Kirsty Morris (Leith), and third-placed Rachel Kingsford (Hill City).

Others expected to feature are Maddy Munroe (Otago University) and Otago junior cross-country champion Romana Salis (Hill City).

Crumpton, Whiting and Kingsford are at short odds to win the three-person team title.

Dougal Thorburn heads a strong Ariki squad in the open men's race over 12km.

Thorburn has impressed with each outing since his victory in the half marathon section of the Dunedin Marathon last year.

However, to lift the Otago open men's cross-country title today he will also have to overcome some strong competition.

Callan Moody remains in top form following his victory in the Edmond Cup last month.

Moody finished runner-up to Ariki club mate Matt Lambert last year in his first race over the 12km circuit.

He went stride for stride with Nathan Baxter (Ariki) in the Edmond Cup and the two are expected to spur each other on again today.

Much interest will centre on the Caversham quartet of Lyndon Brown, Bevan Stevens, Tony Payne and Shane Renowden, as each has had success in recent months.

Also expected to feature is Tom Clark (Civil Service).

The Hill City quartet of Oliver O'Sullivan, Elliot O'Sullivan, Mike Wakelin and Tom Hunt is also in the mix.

Barbara Roy (Otago University) is at short odds to win the junior women's title but a battle looms for the junior men's title among Alex Zetco (Ariki), Caversham's Peter Meffan, Ben Anderson and Daniel Balchin, and the Hill City pair of Alex Gorrie and William Scorgie.

Age-group races start the championships at noon, with the open women's race at 1.20pm and the open men's race at 2.05pm.