Like Chariots of Fire, only sweaty

At many universities around the world the academic year includes an iconic race, the best-known being the Great Court Run at Trinity College, Cambridge, which featured in the film Chariots of Fire.

On Monday (25 March) James Cook University in Cairns will launch its own event: the Cairns Campus K.

“Ours will be somewhat sweatier than the run at Cambridge, and almost three times the length, but we’re a lot tougher in the tropics,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and head of JCU’s Cairns campus, Dr Stephen Weller said.

“It promises to be hotly contested by students and staff. Although it’s an individual race, I know each faculty is vying to win, and that there are even some students who think they can outrun the staff.”

The one-kilometre race will start and finish on Founders Green, which honours the vision and efforts of community members who made the establishment of JCU’s Cairns campus possible.

“Founders Green, which we officially opened late last year, is a very fitting place to begin and end a race that will become a fixture of the University year in Cairns,“ Dr Weller said.

The first male and female students and first male and female staff members to cross the finish line will have their names inscribed on the Weller Cairns Campus K Shield.

JCU will host a lunch for all participants after the race.

Issued March 22, 2013

Media enquiries: E. linden.woodward@jcu.edu.au T. 07 4232 1007