Top national pole vault star Eliza McCartney will be competing this afternoon. Photo/Supplied
Turn all the lights on! This afternoon and this evening the 2014 Balance Chartered Accountants Cooks Classic promises some of the top athletes from around the country giving their all in the pursuit of personal excellence.
I've broken the time table down with some predictions for the coming hours.
2.30pm: The Grand Hotel 2000m Road Race. The chance for runners of all ages and abilities to take part in the Cooks Classic. Like many of the great Olympic Marathons the race starts and finishes on the track. Intending runners should report to the start at the 100m at 2.15pm.
3pm Pre Meeting: The feature events are the 151 on London 100m men's sprint and the Air New Zealand 100m women's sprint, when many leading sprinters who have entered in the evening 200m and 2x100m relay take the opportunity to compete in the afternoon.
5.15pm: International Invitation Pole Vault. Featuring New Zealand schools record holder and world class vaulters Pascal Kethers and Eliza McCartney. Could two national junior records be broken? Will Kethers beat Australian Max Mischenko? A good chance to come early and enjoy a picnic and thrilling vaulting.
7.25pm: The Harvey World men's and women's high jump, featuring New Zealand international Liz Lamb and the best in the country. Last year the event required a jump off to find the winner.
7.35pm: The John van Dalen 400m hurdles. The mixed race sees leading men and women tackle the exciting one lap race with its 10 hurdles.
7.40pm: Wanganui Insurance Brokers women's 200m. Can Taranaki's New Zealand Schools Champion Zoe Hobbs hold off the challenge of older and more experienced sprinters and will the one lap runners successfully step down a distance?
7.45pm: Mars Petcare men's 200m. Joseph Millar, who has been in sensational form, starts as clear favourite but there is particularly strong opposition from a group of 400m runners vying for a berth in the Commonwealth Games 4x400 team.
7.50pm: H&A Print men's Long Jump and Super Sucker Women's Long Jump. The Cooks Gardens pit is right in front of the Grandstand and spectators will be close to exciting jumping action.
7.55pm: Moore Law. Fastest Kid on the Block. They have qualified in the suburbs and now they are on the main stage on the famous Cooks Gardens track.
8pm: Anderson's Menswear men's discus and Gluten Free women's discus. Last year Te Rina Keenan went straight to the top of the national rankings at Cooks Gardens. This year Keenan faces strong opposition from Leesa Lealasisalanoa and Siostina Hakeai.
8.10pm: Mixed Mars Pet Care 400m handicap with all eight competitors having an equal chance for victory.
8.15pm: Mars Petcare men's youth 100m followed by The Wanganui Steel Supplies 100m women's youth. Bringing leading school age athletes into sprint action.
8.25pm: The Young Olympian, Harvey World Travel Wanganui Collegiate School junior men's mile. A large field of 20 leading junior distance runners come to the home of New Zealand miling.
8.35pm: Mars Petcare 2x100m relay followed by Elite Mechanical Services 2x100m relay. This brings the leading sprinters back into action for the exciting Grand Prix relays
8.45pm: The Classic Hits women's mile. Angie Smit had a sensational northern hemisphere campaign, propelling the young Canterbury distance star to fourth in the World Student Games 800m and fifth in the 1500m. A strong field will challenge including a strong junior contingent headed by fellow Cantabrian Rosa Flanagan, who has already set national junior records this summer. The leading junior athlete will be awarded a special Young Olympian Cross Country Rentals award.
9pm: Balance Chartered Accountants men's mile. Will the pacemaker set the pace required for a fast time? Will Nick Willis, the track recorder holder, set his fourth Cooks Garden's sub 4 minute mile and join the great John Walker and Hamish Christensen with that honour? Will Malcolm Hicks (Cooks Garden's 58th sub-4 runner) achieve this again in 2014? These and many other questions will be answered tonight.