Wednesday, March 11, 2009

9th Annual San Rafael Twilight Relays Preview

** 30 High Schools Exciting Relay Races Under the Lights Two US Olympians **

The 9th Annual San Rafael Twilight Relays

Saturday, March 14, 2009

San Rafael High School

Start Time: 4:00 pm

www.twilightrelays.com

The Twilight Relays is one of the largest sporting events in Marin County, bringing together 30 Bay Area High Schools and over 500 athletes from Antioch to Sausalito, Calaveras to the Peninsula, to run and sprint and race to the finish line in an event that brings together teammates, parents, fans, and businesses. The Twilight Relays consists of six relay races, run at night, under the lights. There will be several heats for each relay race with the faster teams running in the latter heats based on pre meet seeding. The top three team times of all of the heats in each relay race will receive special medals, presented throughout the evening.

Throughout the evening, Twilight Relays medals will be presented to the top three teams in each event on our famous awards stand lit up by tiki torches. This year, we are privileged to have US OLYMPIANS MICHAEL JOHNSON and SHANNON ROWBURY as our Special Awards Presenters.

The following teams are competing this year:

  • Antioch HS
  • Berkeley HS
  • Calaveras HS
  • Casa Grande HS
  • Castlemont HS
  • College Prep HS
  • Crystal Springs Uplands
  • Dublin HS
  • Encinal HS
  • Gunn HS
  • Half Moon Bay HS
  • JFK HS
  • Kelseyville HS
  • Lick-Wilmerding HS
  • Marin Academy HS
  • Novato HS
  • Petaluma HS
  • Piedmont HS
  • Piner HS
  • Rancho Cotate HS
  • San Mateo HS
  • San Rafael HS
  • Skyline HS
  • St. Patrick/St. Vincent HS
  • Stuart Hall
  • Tamalpais
  • Terra Linda HS
  • The King's Academy
  • University HS
  • Urban School of San Francisco

Meet Preview

Girls Sprint Medley Relay (100m-100m-200m-400m): (Meet Record: 1: 49.94, Skyline, 2008)

60 relay teams have signed up for this race, making a total of eight heats. This year, it will be another showdown between the talented East Bay sprint squads of Castlemont, JFK, and Piedmont versus the Peninsula squads of Gunn and Half Moon Bay. Several of the teams perennially send 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter teams to the State Meet. All teams come in with estimated times within 2 seconds of each other, so it will be a real close one at the line. Look for a winning time around 1: 50, which would challenge the very swift 2008 meet record.


Boys Sprint Medley Relay (100m-100m-200m-400m): (Meet Record: 1: 33.01, Castlemont, 2004)

This race is packed with talent and very fast teams, and stands as another popular relay race, with some 70 teams and nine heats. While the meet record set by the incomparable "Men in Purple" of Castlemont is likely out of reach, the competition for first will be fierce. All parts of the Bay Area are represented tonight with the fast heat a battle among East Bay sprint Powerhouses Antioch, and JFK, local favorite Terra Linda, Urban of San Francisco, Casa Grande for the North Bay, Calaveras, and San Mateo from the Peninsula. This race usually comes down to the final few meters with times in the 1: 30 range.


Girls Distance Medley Relay (1200m-400m-800m-1600m): (Meet Record: 12: 29.85, Bishop O'Dowd, 2005)

Some incredible cross country programs collide tonight. Marin Academy (3rd in D5 with local flavor from NCS Champion Lucy McCullough; 5th in the State Meet), University (4th in D5), Petaluma (with two qualifiers in DIII), Casa Grande (14th in DII, Jacque Taylor 3rd in the State Meet), Gunn (11th in DII), Half Moon Bay (with Sammy Hamilton top CCS runner), and - a plethora of "Who's Who" among distance titans in the Bay Area, perennially qualifying for the CIF State Meet in the fall. The predicted times coming are all very close. While the incredible run by Bishop O'Dowd set a high standard that is likely out of reach, teams will likely be close to the coveted sub 13: 00 mark.


Boys Distance Medley Relay (1200m-400m-800m-1600m): (Meet Record: 10: 36.21, Petaluma, 2008)

Epic! Titanic! Colossal! Huge! This might be the peak race of the night. Simply put … some of the best NCS distance powerhouses collide on the track in one race for nearly 11 minutes of gut wrenching, unforgiving battles. We have a huge battle among top East Bay distance powerhouses Berkeley, Piedmont, and Skyline vs. South Bay stalwarts Gunn, Half Moon Bay, and San Mateo vs. the North Bay juggernauts Petaluma (3rd in D3), Novato (with the amazing Erik Olson), and Tamalpais (NCS D4 Champ). In cross country, many of these teams were separated by divisions and sections, but track relay races levels the playing field for a much sought after head-to-head match up that will light up the track this year. Expect a lot of lead changes and inner battles during the longer relay legs and very exciting relay handoffs and exchanges. Several teams will vie for a shot of dipping under a very swift 11 minutes barrier.


Coed 4x200 Meter Relay (girl-girl-boy-boy): (Meet Record: 1: 36.17, Berkeley, 2006)

The two coed races finish off the night and really bring together a great spirit of team camaraderie with girls and boys working together and cheering each other on. The feeling is going to be electric with about 90 teams and 12 heats, and most runners running their second event of the night really ready to put it all on the line. It will likely be a very tight finish with good handoffs making a huge difference. Sprint establishments Castlemont, Berkeley, JFK, and Skyline will battle for king and queen sprint honors. Look for winning marks in the mid 1: 30 range. This race is run entirely in lanes for safety purposes. The staggers are huge in the beginning, but close throughout the race. Watch for the timing of hand-offs to determine early leaders. The final 200 meter stretch will be an incredible battle for the line.


Coed 4x800 Meter Relay (girl-girl-boy-boy): (Meet Record: 8: 59.73, Bishop O'Dowd, 2005)

The last event of the evening will likely have all the spectators standing, as once again the girls and boys of some amazingly talented distance programs consisting of a cadre of 2007 state cross country qualifiers blaze the track in a 2 lap effort. The favorites for team honors in this one include Petaluma, Casa Grande, Skyline, College Prep, Antioch, and Crystal Springs Uplands. Several teams have a shot to break the elusive 9: 00 minute barrier and get close to the meet record.

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