Jack Lovelock would be pretty proud of the strengthening bond between his Dunedin namesake race and the residential colleges.
The Lovelock relays, named in honour of the Otago University alumni and Olympic champion, introduced a university residential college mixed race last year and two teams signed up.
But numbers have risen for the 87th edition to six teams — three from Salmond and one each from St Margaret’s, Studholme and Caroline Freeman — chasing for the title at the University Oval this afternoon.
Salmond, the defending champions, came on board to help organise the race, which helped give the numbers a boost.
"That just strengthens that university tie, which is something we really wanted to do, and given that Jack Lovelock was a university student at Otago . . . that’s really cool," Hill City-University president Mark Geddes said.
The residential college race adds depth to the event, led by pioneer senior men’s and senior women’s relays.
But the senior women’s race is the one to watch this year with eight teams vying for the title, including two from Hill City and five from Leith.
Becky Aitkenhead, who holds the women’s Otago and all comers record with 4min 32sec at last year’s event, leads a strong Hill City team of Erin McKeritt, Taryn McLean and Zara Geddes, who are chasing Hill City’s fourth consecutive win.
But Leith runners Kristy Eyles, Laura Bungard, Claudia Sole and Alice Cuthburt will be looking to break their run.
"It’s looking like it could be really really good," Geddes said.
Six teams — two Hill City and four Leith — teams are lining up for the senior men’s, with Christchurch club Whippets, who broke the long-standing all-comers record last year, not racing this year.
There are also three masters races, four youth races (under-18, under-16, under-14, under-12) and a social race as well.
Racing gets under way at 1pm today.
