The ice and snow our region received this past weekend was a welcome sight for some athletes, but it didn’t leave other athletes out in the cold, either. On Saturday, the University of Maryland track and field team hosted its annual Terrapin Invitational indoor track and field meet at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. Twenty-three collegiate teams competed in the all-day event.
The Terps were not kind hosts, winning both the men’s and women’s meets, and taking six wins in individual events. The men’s team was led by Kyle Graves, who had two first place finishes, one in the 800-meters and the other in the 1-mile run. The women swept the top three spots in the high jump, with Amina Smith taking the top spot. Thea Lafond, who took second in the high jump, finished first in the triple jump, while Myah Hicks won the 800-meters and Julie Fricke grabbed top honors in the 1-mile run.
The Terrapin Invitational is the only home meet for the team this season, so winning the meet was a huge victory for the team. The indoor season is a nice respite from the challenges weather can cause during the outdoor season. While these competitors at the Terrapin Invitational relished being indoors, others were taking advantage of the weather at the NASTAR ski races at Wisp Resort in Deep Creek.
The NASTAR stands for the National Standard Race, which is the largest public ski and snowboard race program in the world. Wisp Resort is just one of 120 resorts around the country that participate in NASTAR racing. Wisp’s racing schedule got underway this weekend and will run until the end of February. The ultimate goal is to earn a spot in the NASTAR National Championships.
There are multiple divisions based on age, gender and skill in which racers can compete. There is even a family division, where families of at least three can compete as a team. To be invited to the Championships, racers have to finish in the top five overall in their division. Right now, no one who raced at Wisp is in the top five in their racing category, but there are plenty of races left for that to change.
Whether you prefer the great outdoors or a nice, warm gym, you can be sure to find something to do in Maryland during a nice winter weekend!
