On your marks...

Running shoes will replace textbooks when the University of Adelaide's five academic faculties line up against each other to compete for the inaugural Vice-Chancellor's Cup next month.

The footrace through the North Terrace Campus will be the culmination on the Friday of a week-long Inter-Faculty Active Recreation Week, from September 7 to 11.

Four-member teams of students and staff from each faculty will don their faculty colours and race almost 800 metres from the Barr Smith Lawns, up the stairs and past Hughes Plaza to North Terrace, around Goodman Crescent and back down to the front of Union Hall. Teams will include two students and two staff members, a male and female of each.

The Champion Faculty, with the fastest combined time, will be presented with the new Vice-Chancellor's Cup, an old trophy from the historic Sports Association Collection, which has been restored and mounted on a plinth of Australian Red Gum.

Loosely based on the 1980s Hugh Hudson film Chariots Of Fire, the race locally will be called 'The Lions of Adelaide' and, reminiscent of the film, the runners will be dressed in white with designated faculty colours across their chests.

The Inter-Faculty Active Recreation Week is being organised by the Adelaide University Sports Association to boost some healthy inter-faculty rivalry, raise awareness of the Association's clubs and activities and to promote the benefits of active recreation and a healthy lifestyle.

"When I was here at the University of Adelaide in the 1970s, there was a lot of friendly inter-faculty rivalry and students were a lot more involved in clubs and campus activities," said Mike Daws, Sports Association Executive Officer.

"Boosting that competitive spirit and rivalry is a good way of promoting participation in sport and other activities on campus. It will help bring staff and students together, help develop a sense of pride within the University community and, very importantly, bring back more of the fun side of campus life."

The Inter-Faculty Recreation Week will include seminars on healthy body and mind, stands promoting clubs and activities, and demonstrations and 'come-and-try' sessions including rock-climbing, Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, rowing machines, judo and tae kwon do and basketball, plus Giant Jenga, bocce, putt-putt pool and a tug-of-war.

Story by Robyn Mills