Vincent Weir won this years cake race (Bill Giduz photo)

Davidson College’s class of 2013 fulfilled an annual tradition Wednesday afternoon with the running of the Freshman Cake Race. Residents and folks on campus baked a record 197 cakes that were given out as prizes to freshman runners who crossed the line at Richardson Stadium.

The first man across the line was Vincent Weir of Dallas, Texas, who ran 8.29 over the 1.7-mile course on campus and town streets. He was followed by Demetrios Pagonis of Westminster, Md. (8:39) and Wes Reynolds of St. Petersburg, Fla. (8:43).

Natalie Atabek of Bethesda, Md., was the first woman in 10:15, followed by Caroline Gecker of Richmond, Va. (10:31) and Elizabeth Wilbur (10:42).

The foot race has been run annually since 1934, except 1972 and during World War II. It was started by Davidson’s track coach as a way to spot potential recruits.

One of the spectators at Wednesday’s race was retired longtime track coach and athletics department administrator Sterling Martin, who watched on the 50th anniversary of the day that he won the Cake Race as a freshman in 1959.

The race was part of a week of orientation activities for the incoming freshman class. Davidson College classes started Monday.

RELATED COVERAGE

Aug. 21, 2009, “Wanted: Cakes for the Freshman Cake Race.”
http://davidsonnews.net/2009/08/21/wanted-cakes-for-the-freshman-cake-race/

Aug. 19, 2009, “Class of 2013 leads Davidson students back to campus”
http://davidsonnews.net/2009/08/19/class-of-2013-leads-davidson-students-back-to-campus/