The sexes to battle it out on the Tasman Bridge

A $2000 “battle of the sexes” has many elite athletes tipping a super fast time for the Run The Bridge Fun Run.

Getting ready for tomorrow's Run The Bridge event is (L-R) Jordan Gusman, Brett Robinson, Milly Clark, Ben St Lawrence, Liam Adams. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON

A $2000 “battle of the sexes” has many elite athletes tipping a fast time for tomorrow’s Run The Bridge Fun Run.

The elite women will start Australia’s richest 10km road race with a 3 minute 44 second head start over the elite men — the difference between the women’s and men’s race record.

The winners of the men’s and women’s event will receive $3000, but the first across the line of either gender will get an extra $2000.

Olympian Ben St Lawrence was a big fan of the concept and said it added an extra element to an already extremely strong race.

“Often in these races it can get a bit tactical and slow, which is run sometimes, but dangling that carrot of an extra $2000 for the first across the line will make us reconsider a slow first kilometre or two,” St Lawrence said.

“It means generally the fittest person will win rather than who might be the best tactically and it encourages fast times. I think it is a great idea.”

Tasmanian Olympian Milly Clark said the handicap gave the race, which also doubles up as the Oceania Championship, a point of difference.

“A group of about 12 women set off alone where as normally you start with the masses and it is like a stampede of feet,” Clark said.

“So it is really kind of quiet with the girls working together which gives it a really fun atmosphere, which is really good.

“You kind of wonder how far will I get before I get run down, which makes it a little bit exciting.

“It is the thrill of the chase, and wondering when you are going to get caught, which does give you a little bit more motivation.”

It will be St Lawrence’s third crack at the Bridge, having finished third in 2013 and second the following year. He says it will be a tough field to crack as it contains fellow Olympian Brett Robinson, four-time winner Liam Adams, Commonwealth Games representative Harry Summers and Gold Coast 10km race rec­ord holder Jordan Gusman.

The race, which includes a 5km and 10km event, has attracted a record entry of more than 3900 competitors.

The 10km event starts at Blundstone Arena and finishes at Princess Wharf Hobart, with the Tasman Bridge to be closed between 7am and 9am.