Fleet-footed staff take up Great Court Race challenge
University of Queensland staff have their first chance to show they can hot-foot it with the younger brigade in the 15th Alpine World Great Court Race tomorrow (Wednesday, May 26.)
For the past 14 years the annual 636 metre dash, which is a lap of the external sandstone corridors of the Great Court at the University's St Lucia campus, has been the sole domain of students.
This year a mixed relay category has been introduced, with teams from the departments of Economics, Human Movement Studies, Veterinary Science and UQ Sport staking a claim for the inaugural title.
Teams of two men and two women from each department will run in the mixed relays. There will be five runners in both the open men's and open women's sections, eight teams in the women's inter-collegiate finals and six teams fighting it out for the men's inter-collegiate title.
Mark Abercromby, winner of the open men's category for the past two years, with a best time of 1.29.70 seconds in 1998, will be out to complete a hat-trick. He will also be keen to beat the men's race record of 1.26.40 seconds set in 1988 by four-time victor Simon Still.
Part of the University 4 x 400 metre team which won a silver medal at the national titles in Melbourne in March, the 800 metre specialist will be strongly challenged by his relay team-mate Nick Lorenz and last year's runner-up Marcus Katter, who qualified first for this year's event.
Last year's open women's winner Belinda Lean, a 400 metre and 800 metre Queensland Country Championships medallist, is also defending her title and should have an exciting tussle with 1997 winner Kim McIntosh. Belinda's mark of 1.49.70 seconds put her on target for a tilt at the women's record of 1.41.68 seconds set in 1993 by five-time champion Sandra Dawson.
The open men and open women champions will receive an Australian ski trip courtesy of Alpine World, while other winners and runners-up will be eligible for discounted travel vouchers supplied by STA Travel and prizes donated by UQ Sport, the University of Queensland Bookshop and Schweppes.
The finals of the Great Court Race, which is based on the historic Cambridge University Race, will be run from 1pm to 2pm.
For further information, contact organiser Alison Biggins (07) 3365-6035.
