Both the men's and women's indoor track teams open up their season at home in the comfortable confines of Leverone Field House with the running of the Dartmouth Relays. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the event that was started by former Dartmouth track coach Ken Weinbel, who will be honored for his work in starting the meet.
What was once a one-day event that drew 287 athletes when it all began in 1969 has grown into a three-day extravaganza that draws some of the top talent from all over the Northeast and southern Canada. More than 3,000 competitors are expected.
The event kicks off today at 10 with action headlined by the college and open women's pentathlon and the men's heptathlon. 2003 Indoor Heptagonal Games Male Outstanding Performer Mustafa Abdur-Rahim '04, who was also a 2003 All-American in the decathlon, will compete along with teammate Chris Dupre '06.
Dartmouth will be represented in the pentathlon by two '06 standouts in Kelsey Wiegmann and Matthan Chatterton-Richmond, who finished third and fourth respectively at last years Outdoor Heps as freshmen. Both athletes are Dartmouth record holders, with Wiegmann breaking the 16-year-old high jump mark while Chatterton-Richmond holds the school's longest long-jump. Chatterton-Richmond's younger sister, Jadah '07, will join these two promising young stars.
"I've run against and with my sister all throughout high school so it's nothing new," Matthan Chatterton-Richmond said about competing against her sister. "I'm looking forward to it; she's a great competitor."
"We are close in age and have many of the same interests. Her being in Hanover is just a reflection of that and I even encouraged her to come! It is great to have a family member around."
Sharing the spotlight with some of the Big Green's finest will be the Tucker Foundation Dean Stuart Lord. He will be competing in the Master's portion of the meet, which will take up the remainder of Friday after the completion of the College and Open multi-events. His chosen event, the 60-meter dash, is slated to go off at 3:45.
"The only goal I have is to start and finish the race, and build from there," Lord said.
The middle day of competition will be all about high school, as Hanover hosts athletes from over 150 high schools. This aspect of the meet has allowed Dartmouth to use the Relays as an important recruiting tool. Much of the top talent of the Northeast is on display while prospective students also get the added benefit of visiting campus.
"It is one of the largest meets during the winter season in New England and it does have a fairly prestigious history," Sarah Rhodes '05 said. "It's an important recruiting tool for us. Often our recruits come up here to compete, which gives us the opportunity to see them race as well as gives them a feel for the dynamics of the Dartmouth team."
The majority of the Dartmouth teams will have to wait until Sunday to showcase their talents on the oval and compete against some of the best that the nation has to offer. Both the University of Illinois and the University of Maine have committed to bringing their full roster of athletes while dozens of other schools will be represented.
One of those from whom the team expects a lot this year is sophomore miler Bart van Veghel. After a strong freshman campaign he is expected to make some noise in the league this year, and though this is not one of the most prestigious meets, he always looks forward to competing at home.
"Having a race in Hanover is great as we're able to showcase some of the best athletes our school has to offer," van Veghel said. "Hopefully our friends, our professors and our teammates will all come and cheer on the runners, jumpers and throwers."
This early season event is a useful tool in gauging the progress of the team as they look to larger meets just around the corner. The track teams travel next weekend to New Haven before returning for the Dartmouth Invitational a week later. Sunday's events kick off at 9 a.m.
