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This article has been updated with cancellations of two Winter Champs Qualifier meets
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The winter track season, which pre-rolled with scattered meets in December, shifts into a much higher gear beginning this weekend.
We're still some six weeks from CIF-sanctioned meets in the Golden State, but that won't stop track and field athletes from competing toward a Golden Ticket entry into the CA Winter Champs, the culmination of a series of all-comers meets. That series of four consecutive Saturday qualifier meets launches this weekend. The January calendar also includes the annual LEAP Fest, jumps-only meet, this Saturday, and the Pole Vault Summit the following weekend.
Here's a closer look at those events.
LEAP FEST (Jan. 7 at Mater Dei HS)
The annual LEAP Fest, jumps-only showcase, headlines events this Saturday at Mater Dei HS in Santa Ana beginning at 9 a.m. The meet will take place rain or shine.
The Keinan Briggs-producted meet features long jump, high jump, triple jump, and pole vault.
The entry list includes top returning jumpers like Meagan Humphries (Golden Valley/SS), Kelly VanderPol (Maranatha Christian/SD), Brandon Gorski (Mater Dei/SS), Iliana Downing (La Costa Canyon/SD), Jerald Martin Evangelista (Carson/LA), Avery Hilliard (Poway/SD), Emily Psarras (Mission Viejo), Madison Forbes (Mater Dei/SS) and Jada Gatlin (Mission Viejo/SS).
Gorski, a sophomore, was the Southern Section Division 2 and Masters champion and a State Meet qualifier as a freshman.
CA Winter Championships (Jan. 7 - Feb. 4)
Also Saturday, and for the following three Saturdays, the annual Winter Championships Qualifier meets are scheduled at various sites across CA. This series of all-comers meets provides an opportunity for athletes to compete at indoor track distances outdoors, as well as most field events.
Those hitting qualifying standards (listed below) earn an opportunity to compete at the CA Winter Championships on Feb. 4 at Arcadia HS.
This Saturday's schedule has meets at Canyon Crest Academy in the San Diego Section, and two venues in the Southern Section: Cal State Fullerton, and South Pasadena HS. All are scheduled for the first event at 9 a.m. (Meets previously scheduled for Tokay HS in Lodi and University of La Verne have been canceled.)
Schedule for the rest of the month
(Meets begin at 9 a.m., unless noted)
Jan. 14 - Arcadia HS, Salinas Palma HS (Central Coast Section), Rancho Cucamonga HS, and Simi Valley HS.
Jan. 21 - Covina District Stadium, Temecula Great Oak HS, Los Alamitos HS, Eastvale Roosevelt HS, and San Diego University City HS (11 a.m.).
Jan. 28 - Arcadia HS, Pittsburg HS (North Coast Section), Redondo Union HS, Simi Valley HS, and Vista Murrieta HS.
Winter Champs Series Rules
These are all-comers meet. Athletes compete unattached. Arrive early to your qualifier.
There is a $12 fee to compete at a qualifier meet and a $25 entry fee to compete at the CA Winter Championships on Feb. 4 for athletes hitting the qualifying standard.
The fee for the Feb. 4 Winter Championships must be paid at the qualifier meet.
Hit the qualifying standard (listed below) and receive a "Golden Bib" which will be your entry into the Feb. 4 Championships. (Don't lose it!)
All events that can be contested safely will be held, rain or shine.
(For more details, check out the calendar item of your qualifier meet at ca.milesplit.com.)
Order of Events
Track
1500m Run
60m Dash
60m Hurdles
150m Dash
600m Dash
4x200n Relay
Distance Medley Relay
4x800m Relay
300m Dash
3000m Run
Sprint Medley Relay (100-100-200-400)
Field (4 attempts in LJ, TJ, SP)
Long Jump
Shot Put
High Jump
Pole Vault
Triple Jump (follows Long Jump)
*Weight Throw (At Championship Finals only; entries via email)
**Pentathlon (At CS Fullerton, as practice, and at the Feb. 4 Championships; entries via Google form, only)
A rolling time schedule will be used for all events; athletes must follow the progress of the meet.
In all track events, athletes are limited to one (1) attempt per event at each Winter Champs Qualifier meet they attend.
Qualifying Standards for the 2023 CA Winter Championships
* Athletes must achieve the minimum qualifying standard at one of the Qualifier Meets.
* Winning your event does not automatically qualify you for the Feb. 4 CA Winter Champs. You must also
meet the minimum standard.
* Relay members must attend the same school. No all-star teams.
| EVENT | BOYS | GIRLS |
| 60m Dash | 7.56 | 8.54 |
| 150m Dash | 17.40 | 19.75 |
| 300m Run | 38.20 | 44.75 |
| 600m Run | 1:31.0 | 1:49.0 |
| 1500m Run | 4:22 | 5:18 |
| 3000m Run | 9:27 | 11:23 |
| 60m Hurdles | 9.96 | 11.40 |
| 4x200m Relay | 1:38.0 | 1:55.30 |
| SMR (1-1-2-4) | 1:42.0 | 2:03.0 |
| 4x800m Relay | 8:44.0 | 10:44.0 |
| DMR (12-4-8-16) | 11:32 | 14:06 |
| Long Jump | 19-8 | 16-0 |
| Triple Jump | 39-10 | 32-05 |
| High Jump | 5-9 | 4-10 |
| Pole Vault | 13-0 | 10-06 |
| Shot Put | 44-0 | 32-0 |
Additional Events
* 25 lb./20 lb. Weight Throw will be conducted only at the CA Winter Champs. Candidates must email rich@vsathletics.com by Jan. 28 for entry consideration.
** Pentathlon will be held only at the Cal State Fullerton Qualifier, as practice, and at the CA Winter Champs. For entry consideration, candidates must submit this Google Form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSds-Uf5Z2nTTHDUflPUgxk2elf4Y1UbYvv1Vd8OQomYkJN6Lg/viewform)
REMINDER: Registering for the Winter Championships Finals can ONLY be done at the designated Winter Championships Qualifier meets!
No late entries accepted!
For all CA Winter Championship rules, check out the calendar item for your qualifier meet at ca.milesplit.com/calendar.
INDOOR MEETS
The CA Winter Champs series offers indoor track distances outdoors. But athletes truly looking to compete indoors have a plenty of options over the next couple of months, albeit outside of CA.
A sampling of those meets include the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, NV (Jan. 14-15), the elite VA Showcase in Virginia Beach, VA (Jan. 13-15), Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge at the Armory in New York (Jan. 27-28), UW Invitational in Seattle (Jan. 27-28), Simplot Games in Pocatello, ID (Feb. 16-18), MVP Vibe Fest in Chicago (Feb. 18), and New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston (March 10-12).
