California Invitational Relays
2009 Results
Official Site
For immediate release:
March 31, 2009
California Invitational Relays put on hold until 2010
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.