A premier competition

This weekend, about 100,000 visitors from all over the world will converge on Penn's campus. They will come from high schools in New England, from colleges in the Midwest and from professional clubs on the California coast. They will come from all over the world -- participants and spectators alike -- to take part in and witness one of this nation's most revered athletic competitions: The Penn Relays. For 107 years, this University has had the honor of hosting the world's largest and longest-running track and field competition. To many, the Relays is the ultimate competition for amateur athletes; an "Olympics," if you will, for many of the country's high school and college athletes. Maybe that explains why the Relays is so different from other collegiate-level competitions. The small crowds of most high school meets are replaced by tens of thousands of track fans from all over the East Coast. And the prestige of a Relays victory is far greater than that of any almost any other victory at any other venue. The Relays is Franklin Field in the springtime. It's the electric atmosphere of the Carnival on 33rd Street. It's the camaraderie and tension of competition among the world's best. And, most importantly, it's an event that you'd be foolish to miss. This weekend is obviously going to be a busy one for most students on campus. Classes are winding down for the semester. Juniors are preparing for the Hey Day tradition on Friday. And just about everyone is gearing up for finals next week. But the Relays still warrants your attendance. It's one of the few events at Penn -- like Spring Fling, Convocation and Commencement -- that truly define this University and its uniqueness. So head down to Franklin Field today or tomorrow -- when your PennCard will help you gain free access -- or even on Saturday, to witness this campus' greatest sporting event of the year. You'll be glad you did.

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