<re than 5,700 college, high school and club swimmers from nearly 100 different teams jumped into the pool on Thursday, Nov. 6 with the same goal in mind––going all out for an hour in the name of cancer research.
The Carleton swimming and diving teams sponsored of the third annual “Hour of Power” Relay for cancer research in honor of former Carleton student and teammate Edward H. “Ted” Mullin, who passed away from sarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer, in September 2006 at the age of 22.
The event is a one-hour, all-out, leave-it-in-the-pool practice that will occur simultaneously at numerous pools across the country and involve teams from NCAA Division I, II and III, including teams like the University of Cincinnati, Princeton, Georgetown and Providence and nearly every Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) program.
By the time the first swimmer hit the water, 99 teams had registered to participate in this year’s event. That total does not include swim teams that had not pre-registered or were unable to hit the water at the scheduled time. The Nightcrawlers Masters Swim Club from Northfield, Minn. will partake in their own event shortly after 5:30 a.m. tomorrow morning.
As in previous years, Carleton swimmers involved in off-campus study programs find a way to be part of the action as well. In 2007, four Carleton student-athletes studying in Madrid Spain, pushed one another in their own mini-version of the event. This year, All-American Kate Alexander ’10 arranged for some other students in Townsville, Australia to join in the fun.
In its third year, the fund-raiser has grown from 15 teams and $11,000 raised in 2006 to 53 teams and nearly $50,000 raised last year. This year, participation has nearly doubled in terms of numbers of athletes and teams participating.
“This was my first Hour of Power, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Nina Gazel ’12.
“The experience taught me about myself and how far I could push myself and how far the team could push each other.”
“What can, I say I’m exhausted, but that’s all part of the fun,” said Nate Bech ’11 after completing his second Hour of Power relay.
Pre-relay pep talks at Carleton’s home pool were given by Carleton President Robert A. Oden Jr., and Ted Mullin’s parents, Mary Henry and Rick Mullin.
During the 60-minute event more and more members of the campus community showed up in support of the team’s efforts.