All-white seeking a Tan
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- Created on 14 September 2012
- Written by Inside Athletics
Sydney University Athletics Club is seeking to upset the might of Victorian distance running on their most hallowed turf tomorrow at the Athletics Victoria Tan Relays.
The club, which is the oldest in Australia and whose athletes don the traditionally distinctive all-white uniform, are the reigning NSW Club Premiers and have assembled a strong team spearheaded by national cross country champion James Nipperess for the six-person relay around the famed 3.87km track on the edge of the CBD.
The race has been pitted as a contest against tertiary rivals Melbourne University Athletics Club, but Sydney University is determined to vanquish all-comers.
“Sydney Uni have a strong team across their first four, which is what they usually race with. But the Victorian men’s teams are used to six runners a side, so they may have the extra depth needed to win," said Melbourne University Club President Hamish Beaumont.
“At any rate, the Victorian teams will need to be at their best."
Speculation as to the lack of depth among the Sydney team may be premature, with the slowest track 3000m PB among the sextet of Nipperess, Russell Dessaix-Chin, Brad Croker, Daniel McDonald, Hugh Williams and Ben Liddy being 8:32.34.
Nipperess, who captured the Australian cross country title only weeks after winning the Oceania championship, is rumoured to be targetting a sub-11 minute split. The fastest time for the Tan is 10:12 by Craig Mottram, who is one of four men to have run under 11 minutes during the AV Tan relays.
Fastest times in AV Tan Relays
Inside Athletics will be providing editorial and pictorial coverage of the Tan Relays.
The club, which is the oldest in Australia and whose athletes don the traditionally distinctive all-white uniform, are the reigning NSW Club Premiers and have assembled a strong team spearheaded by national cross country champion James Nipperess for the six-person relay around the famed 3.87km track on the edge of the CBD.The race has been pitted as a contest against tertiary rivals Melbourne University Athletics Club, but Sydney University is determined to vanquish all-comers.
“Sydney Uni have a strong team across their first four, which is what they usually race with. But the Victorian men’s teams are used to six runners a side, so they may have the extra depth needed to win," said Melbourne University Club President Hamish Beaumont.
“At any rate, the Victorian teams will need to be at their best."
Speculation as to the lack of depth among the Sydney team may be premature, with the slowest track 3000m PB among the sextet of Nipperess, Russell Dessaix-Chin, Brad Croker, Daniel McDonald, Hugh Williams and Ben Liddy being 8:32.34.
Nipperess, who captured the Australian cross country title only weeks after winning the Oceania championship, is rumoured to be targetting a sub-11 minute split. The fastest time for the Tan is 10:12 by Craig Mottram, who is one of four men to have run under 11 minutes during the AV Tan relays.
Fastest times in AV Tan Relays
| Craig Mottram | 10:40 | 2011 |
| Collis Birmingham | 10:52 | 2006 |
| Mark Fountain | 10:53 | 2010 |
| Liam Adams | 10:59 | 2008 |
| Mark Tucker | 11:04 | 2007 |
Inside Athletics will be providing editorial and pictorial coverage of the Tan Relays.
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