Tomorrow's Barnes Cross-country at Kettle Park is shaping up as a series of races within a race.
Defending champion Bruce Cowan (Hill City) will have his work cut out if he is to create history and win back-to-back titles for the first time in the event's 58-year history.
Cowan will be racing from the 1min 45sec mark, but starting just 1min behind him are three very good athletes over rough ground, in Dave Cross (Ariki), Peter Tutty (Ariki) and John Scoones (Leith).
The race within a race between these three will surely quicken the pace at the front.
Just half a minute behind these three are last year's place-getters, Wayne van Gorp (Hill City) and Graham Anderson (Leith).
To add fuel to a race that could see fast times recorded, competing from the 3min 45sec mark are Ian McDonald (Caversham), Graeme Helm (Ariki) and 2006 champion Allan Williment (Ariki).
And while there appears a lot of interest in the match-ups in mid-field, it could be that Dave Rush (Leith) from the 5min 45sec mark could come through to win the title.
Competition will also be just as intense for fastest time, with Tony Payne (Caversham), Lyndon Brown (Caversham), James List (Ariki), Callan Moody (Ariki) and Sam Kidd (Otago University) all competing off the back marks.
There are just as many match-ups in the race for the open women's title.
Megan Balchin (Leith) had a superb run last year to clinch second-fastest time behind Sarah Chisnall, and could well be a contender for line honours tomorrow, from the 5min 30sec mark.
Posing a threat are Rachel van Gorp (Hill City), who finished runner-up last year, and will tomorrow be competing from 3min 45sec, and club-mate Carol Chettleburgh, who should not be discounted from the 5min mark.
Rachel Kingswood (Hill City) from 7min 45sec, is favoured to take fastest time in women's event.
Racing starts with the open men's event at 1.30pm, with age-group races following before the open women's race at 2.45pm.
