Pan Pac Masters Games reasonably priced
Today’s mail brings the application booklet for the Pan-Pacific Masters Games in Sacramento. The bad news: The track meet portion of the event is August 1-3 at American River College in Sacramento. (Almost overlaps the USATF national masters meet Aug. 7-10 at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Also: This isn’t the same venue as the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials.) The good news: Track entrants can compete for well under $100.
Since the World Masters Games have charged tracksters $200-300 in the past, the Pan Pac meet is a bargain by comparison. The initial Pan Pac fee is $40. Then you add $25 for your first event and $10 for each additional event.
This will be an interesting reality check for the masters movement. Will people try to hit both the Sacramento and Eugene meets? Or will the Sacto meet siphon entries from the Eugene meet?
I’m a little concerned, however, about meet management in Sacramento. The booklet properly notes that competition will be conducted in five-year age groups, and the hurdles distances are all to WMA/USATF specs. But the booklet says: “Competition conducted according to IAAF rules.” Why not cite WMA? Guess that means no false starts. Meet director is Rick Anderson, track coach at American River College.
A true test of meet managers: Will they know the difference between M50 100 hurdle spacings and M60 100 hurdle spacings?
An interesting relay is offered, too: 4×100 shuttle hurdles for women and 4×110 shuttle hurdles for men. Guess this means ad hoc “all-star” relay teams can compete. Anyone who wants to set a “world record” should just get a team together. (I’ve never seen a masters world best for shuttle hurdles.)
Also, taking into account the typical sweltering summer weather, the meet is being conducted from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily — which avoids the worst afternoon heat.
Prediction: Easy medals are to be had. I don’t see a huge turnout for this event.
