The Great Court Race is one of The University of Queensland’s proudest traditions – a bucket list event for competitors and a must-see spectacle!
First held in 1985 to celebrate UQ’s 75th anniversary, the event is based off Cambridge University’s famed Great Court Run – immortalised in the film ‘Chariots of Fire’.
This year’s Great Court Race will be held on Wednesday 22 May. Headlined by the blue ribbon Men’s and Women’s Great Court Races, the event also includes 70m Sprint races, as well as College, Club and Staff Relays.
Nominations are now open via our registration page, closing at 5pm sharp on Friday 3 May.
Time Trials
Due to track restrictions, a maximum of four (4) individuals and/or teams can contest Great Court events, with six (6) lanes allocated to 70m Sprint races.
Participants may be required to participate in a time trial in order to gain entry to their selected event.
Time trials are compulsory for all participants wishing to compete in Men’s and Women’s 70m Sprint races, in order to determine starting handicaps.
Time trials for Great Court events (Great Court Race; College, Club & Staff Relays) will only proceed if registrations exceed lane capacity (4), otherwise, entrants and/or teams will automatically qualify to race in their selected event.
Time trials will be held at the UQ Sport Athletics Centre on Thursday 9 May 2019, with sessions taking place between 7am-9:30am and 1pm-3:30pm.
Entrants will be notified by email if they are required to compete in a time trial.
Race Categories
Men’s & Women’s Great Court Race
The Great Court Race is the event’s signature sprint – a 636m lap of UQ St Lucia’s iconic Great Court. Open only to UQ undergraduate students, four competitors race through the Great Court’s historic cloisters to the sound of chiming bells, with the aim to complete the lap before the 12th chime. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
Prize Money: 1st Place $500, 2nd Place $250, 3rd Place $100
Men’s & Women’s College Relays
Bragging rights are on the line when UQ’s Colleges go head-to-head in the always competitive Men’s and Women’s Relays! Open only to students who reside at a UQ College, each relay involves four irregular legs (145m, 156m, 155m, and 180m) due to the Great Court’s unique layout. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
Prize Money: 1st Place $400, 2nd Place $200, 3rd Place $100
Men’s & Women’s 70m Sprint
Raced on the grassed area inside the Great Court, the Men’s and Women’s 70m Sprint is a handicap race. A maximum of six runners can compete in each sprint, with nominations open to all current UQ students (undergraduate and postgraduate). Handicap distances will be determined by time trial results. Starting blocks are provided to all participants, and spikes may be worn.
Prize Money: 1st Place $150, 2nd Place $100, 3rd Place $50
Mixed Staff Relay
It’s faculty vs faculty in the Mixed Staff Relay, with both full and part-time UQ staff eligible to compete. Each four-person team must consist of two male and two female runners. Each relay involves four irregular legs (145m, 156m, 155m, and 180m) due to the Great Court’s unique layout. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
1st Place: 4 x 1-Month UQ Sport Gold Membership
Mixed Club Relay
There’s no love lost when UQ’s clubs battle to the finish in the Mixed Club Relay! Open to all UQ Clubs, each team consists of two male and two female student runners (competitors must be a registered member of the respective club). Each relay involves four irregular legs (145m, 156m, 155m, and 180m) due to the Great Court’s unique layout. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
1st Place: 4 x 1-Month UQ Sport Gold Membership
Partners
