California Invitational Relays put on hold until 2010
Posted Tuesday, 31 March, 2009
With a tight time schedule forcing meet organizers to race against the clock, the California Invitational Relays will take a one-year hiatus before returning to the national track calendar in 2010.
The world-renowned track and field competition, which moved to the state capital late last year following a 67-year run in Modesto, was originally scheduled for May 9 at Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium. Meet Director Gregg Miller said it was a very difficult decision to cancel the 2009 meet and delay the event’s Sacramento debut, but he expressed confidence that it is the best decision for the event’s long-term future.
“There were logistical and financial details that took longer than anticipated to nail down in time for this year’s event,” Miller said. “We want to do this right by putting on a first-class event in keeping with our long tradition. We’re going to have all of the details worked out plus far better resources in 2010 than we would have had this year.”
Save Mart Supermarkets will continue as the presenting sponsor in 2010. The Sacramento Sports Commission is assisting California Relays Invitational Inc. with marketing, volunteers and sponsorship sales. Sports Commission CEO John McCasey agrees with Miller’s decision.
“We’ll do everything we possibly can to help put the 2010 event back on track,” McCasey said. “We need a little more time to get this thing right.”
The California Relays produced 32 world records by such all-time greats as Ralph Boston, Dutch Warmerdam, Bobby Morrow, Jim Hines, Hal Connolly and Stacy Dragila.
Miller and McCasey said there have been preliminary discussions with adidas about joining forces on the California Relays Invitational and the Golden West Invitational, one of the nation’s top high school meets.
USA Track & Field, the national governing body, will also be supporting the California Relays with significant financial resources and development athletes, Miller said.
“We remain very excited about bringing elite level track and field completion to Sacramento next year,” Miller said.
Sacramento played host to the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, shattering previous attendance records. Hornet Stadium was also the site of the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In 2010, Sacramento will also hold the Junior Olympics and the U.S. Masters Championships. Sacramento will play host to the World Masters Association (WMA) Championships in 2011.
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