The golf course will play host to its first cross-country, three weeks before a much bigger one.
The Otago championships will act as a trial run for the national championships, to be held at the same venue on August 29.
National championships local organising committee (LOC) chairwoman Margaret Knox said it was exciting to have the event approaching.
She felt the course would be a good one, compared to others that had been used in the past.
Kettle Park was quite flat and Wingatui was very muddy.
"It’s got lots of variety," Knox said.
"There’s ups and downs, steep little pinches and downhills.
"It should be a really trying and testing cross-country course."
She said Brent Halley had been the instigator of the course.
He had wanted to have it on the golf links for several years and used his contacts at the golf club to make it happen.
It will utilise the land around golf holes one to six.
This weekend’s event would run as much like the national championships as possible.
Knox said a lot of volunteers had signed up to help run the events, many of whom would be there tomorrow.
The start-finish area — on the practice fairway by the golf club — was a key area to test out to see if the area was wide enough for that and the lap around.
They would also trial the turnaround for the 3km races, as the course is 2km.
Entries remained open for the national championships, so it was unclear what numbers would be like.
However, there would be quality within tomorrow’s field and competitors were coming from Invercargill, Central Otago and Timaru to compete.
The senior men’s race boasts a competitive field, several runners having strong chances in three weeks time.
Janus Staufenberg is back to defend his title, which he edged Daniel Balchin to claim a year ago.
Balchin, who won silver at last year’s national championships, is also back to add class to the field.
National under-20 bronze medallist from last year Logan Slee makes the jump to the senior grade, while Nic Bathgate, Kirk Madgwick and Jonah Smith also bring quality.
Another classy youngster, Russell Green, will race in the under-20 grade.
The senior women’s race shapes to be more clear-cut.
Rebekah Greene will enter as a hot favourite, having won last year’s title by nearly five minutes and claiming bronze at the national championships.
Races begin at 10.30am and the senior races will start at noon.
