MEET HEADQUARTERS

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland State track & field program will play long-distance host for a meet in Eugene next weekend, as the Vikings present the NW Distance Jamboree at Titan Stadium on the campus of Lane Community College.
 
The meet, scheduled for April 3, serves as a de facto spillover meet for the University of Oregon's Hayward Premiere, which has its distance events scheduled for the previous day, April 2. Portland State head coach David Hepburn and his staff created the NW Distance Jamboree to benefit anyone wanting to double after the Hayward Premiere, or any runners who don't make the field at Hayward.
 
"We were planning on sending athletes to the Hayward Premiere, but due to the high demand for that meet, we thought it could get pretty restrictive. So, we thought Lane could be a great spot to host and provide another opportunity for the spillover athletes from the Hayward Premiere," Hepburn said of the meet.
 
"So far, it seems like there is quite a bit of interest, and coaches have reached out grateful for the opportunity. The staff at Lane has been great to work with, and it should be a fun meet."
 
The NW Distance Jamboree will feature an afternoon session that consists of women's and men's 800- and 1,500-meter heats. A twilight session will then happen later in the evening when one or two heats of the women's and men's steeplechase, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters will take place.
 
The Vikings have typically gone to the Stanford Invitational and other California meets this weekend in years past. However, with the pandemic making inter-state travel more difficult and fewer open-entry meets taking place around the high-level events, the NW Distance Jamboree fills a need for the Vikings and other teams in the region.
 
"This weekend is when we typically open up for distance events, but with our typical schedule being altered and not many opportunities out there, we thought we would just host our own meet and provide another opportunity. This time of the year our student-athletes are strong and starting to sharpen some of the dull edges training-wise, so a meet now can offer some positive reinforcement from the work they have been putting in all winter," Hepburn said. 
 
No high school athletes, spectators, or non-essential personnel will be allowed to attend the meet. Specific protocol related to the COVID-19 pandemic is also listed on the meet information page.
 
The deadline to register is Tuesday, March 30, at 5 p.m. Accepted entries will be posted on GoViks.com by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 31.