Both its senior men's and senior women's teams were impressive in the Lovelock Relay meeting two weeks ago and, with the nucleus of these teams competing today, it would come as no surprise if the club were to claim both senior titles.
Hill City is the defending senior women's champion and, although only Shireen Crumpton and Rachel Kingsford remain from the winning quartet last year, the inclusion of Paula Whiting and Rebekah Greene in the team to contest the 4x2000m title appears to have cost the club little in terms of speed and ability.
A team capable of causing an upset is the Otago University four of Cassie Knight, Barbara Roy, Andrea Peat and Maddy Munro.
The senior women's title at the Lovelock Relay has been won in under 19 minutes thrice. Hill City was the third team to achieve the feat two weeks ago, but the Otago University quartet broke the 20-minute barrier in finishing second.
The students made their Lovelock Relay achievement appear effortless and they only need a little self-belief and the scalp of Hill City will be theirs for the taking.
The Hill City senior men's quartet of Oliver O'Sullivan and Otago top junior-middle distance exponents Alex Gorrie, William Scorgie and Campbell Garry also proved at the Lovelock Relay to be a team on the rise, and the wet weather over the past week could be enough to tip the odds its way.
There will be interest in the rising stars of the Ariki junior women's team of Anna-Lisa Uttley, Anna Kean, Catlin O'Brien and Sian English, who were impressive victors at the Lovelock Relay.
Racing gets under way today with the masters events at 12.45pm, the senior women race at 1.30pm and the senior men at 2.40pm.
