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Little 500 Qualifiers
March 28, 2004
Records Set at Little 500 Qualifications
By Mark Zalewski
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Indiana University's annual Little 500 bicycle race is still a month away, but the preparations for the big weekend began this weekend with the race qualifications. In order to gain entry into the field of 33, teams must qualify by riding four laps on the cinder track. Beginning with a flying start, each subsequent lap must have the unique "bike exchange" between two teammates within the designated exchange area. Teams are then placed on the starting grid in order of their time, with the lowest time earning the "pole position" and the honor of wearing the green jersey come race-day.
Beautiful weather made for fast track conditions, and it showed. In the women's qualification two teams set track records with their times. Alpha Gamma Delta did first with a time of 2:39.28. However, perennial favorites Kappa Kappa Gamma came on to the track later in the day and bested that record-setting time by almost two seconds. These two teams had a more than six second advantage on the rest of the field, showing everyone who the early favorites are.
On the men's side, an early morning qualification of 2:23.30 by Team Major Taylor held the entire day. Unlike the women's race, the top teams were only separated by a few seconds. Team Major Taylor, in only its third year of existence, will be trying for its first win, having nearly missed last year in a rare field sprint.
Photography
Images by Mark Zalewski
- Rene Luzadder (Delta Zeta) prepares for her team’s attempt at qualification.
- Get closer Don’t be afraid of the bike! The Delta Zeta team makes one of their three mandatory exchanges on the four-lap qualification.
- D’oh! Sarah Fredrickson (Roadrunners) reflects on a missed exchange. Thankfully, teams have three attempts at completing the four laps and three exchanges.
- The Army Women show textbook hand placement on a successful bike exchange.
- Two Alpha Tau Omega riders try at all costs to make an exchange within the desginated area. One step over the line with a hand still on the bike is a foul.
- And we do mean at ALL costs. The same two Alpha Tau Omega riders moments after completing the exchange successfully. The incoming rider sacrifices his body to avoid a foul. Now that is taking one for the team!
- The Foster International team uses the Superman method of dismounting the bike.
- This Alpha Chi Omega rider may be on the deck but she isn’t over the line.
- The Dodds House team has a long history in the Little 500, and these two riders aren’t about to let that end.
- Even with this not-quite-perfect bike exchange and an often slower bike-change exchange, the Kappa Kappa Gamma team blew the competition away by posting a new track record.
- The Kappas celebrate a monster qualifying time while showing team unity and an homage to the Lion King with their choice of team kits.
- How’s the view from the top? The pole-position team in the women’s race, Kappa Kappa Gamma, pose in front of the leaderboard.
Results
Men 1 Team Major Taylor 2.23.3 2 Sigma Nu 0.00.2 3 ACR Cycling 0.00.7 4 Alpha Tau Omega 0.01.3 5 Briscoe 0.01.5 6 Phi Gamma Delta 0.02.0 7 Phi Kappa Psi 0.02.4 8 Delta Upsilon 0.02.6 9 Acacia 0.03.1 10 Cutters 0.03.7 11 Sigma Chi 0.03.9 12 Kimball 0.04.6 13 Dodds House 0.05.2 14 Sincere Cycling 0.05.3 15 Phi Delta Theta 0.05.4 16 Achtung 0.05.8 17 Zeta Beta Tau 0.06.0 18 Army 0.07.8 19 Delta Sigma Pi (M) 0.08.0 20 Forest 0.08.0 21 Chi Phi 0.08.4 22 Delta Tau Delta 0.08.8 23 Sigma Pi 24 Collins 0.08.9 25 Willkie Cycling 0.10.5 26 Phi Kappa Sigma 0.12.7 27 IU Soccer 0.12.7 28 Wright Cycling 0.13.0 29 Evans Scholars 0.14.8 30 Lambda Chi Alpha 0.16.6 31 Teter 0.17.3 32 Sigma Alpha Mu 0.18.2 33 Foster International 0.18.5 DNQ Fratello 0.20.0 DNQ ALTA-Ashton 0.21.0 Women 1 Kappa Kappa Gamma 2.37.5 2 Alpha Gamma Delta 0.00.8 3 Kappa Alpha Theta 0.05.4 4 Teter Women 0.06.2 5 Delta Zeta 0.07.9 6 Roadrunners 0.08.6 7 Speed 0.09.8 8 Athena 0.10.7 9 Phi Mu 0.11.0 10 Alpha Chi Omega 0.11.3 11 Alpha Phi 0.11.4 12 Army ROTC (W) 0.12.2 13 Gamma Phi Beta 0.12.3 14 Delta Gamma 15 Bella Veloce 0.13.2 16 Alpha Omicron Pi 0.13.7 17 Cycledelics 0.16.1 18 Kappa Delta 0.17.5 19 Alpha Xi Delta 0.18.2 20 Mezcla 0.19.6 21 Collins Women 0.19.8 22 Delta Delta Delta 0.20.3 23 Chi Omega 0.20.4 24 Alpha Kappa Psi 0.20.6 25 Pi Beta Phi 0.25.5 26 Alpha Phi Omega 0.27.5 27 Alpha Delta Pi 0.28.2 28 Zeta Tau Alpha 0.29.1 29 Delta Sigma Pi (W) 0.29.5 30 McNutt Cycling 0.29.6 31 Alpha Chi Sigma 0.37.2 32 Sigma Delta Tau 0.42.5
