Women’s race features wealth of top teams

Some say Little 500 is all about strategy. But the women of Teter seem to have a pretty simple equation that serves as a team motto: “Ride fast, turn left.”\nAnd so long as they try their hardest, the No. 1 goal for the women is to have fun. \n“If our best means we are the best, that would be extra fun,” said junior Teter rider Sydney Hatten. \nTwo years ago Teter claimed its first Little 500 championship. After rebuilding last year, the women claimed the pole position to start this year’s race and are anchored by record-setting rider junior Sarah Rieke. Rieke set the track record at Individual Time Trials in late March. Despite a third-place finish in the overall series events, other riders rank the women at No. 1, according to an unscientific poll of Little 500 riders by the Indiana Daily Student. \nThe pre-race accolades do have their effects on the riders’ psyches, Hatten said. “But mainly it’s internal pressure of us wanting to do our best,” she said.\nIf Hatten and the Teter women want to earn their second-ever Little 500 title, they’ll have to outlast one of the deepest fields in women’s history. \nIn addition to Teter, eight women’s teams received first-place votes in the IDS poll. \n“The women’s race is going to be a shootout,” said Little 500 Race Coordinator Matthew Ewing. “In the women’s race, there is very little room for error because there are only 100 laps. I think it’s going to be exciting from the time the green flag drops until they get the checkered flag.”\nAnd there could be a large group of teams still in competition during the 100th lap. \n“We’re becoming much more like the guys,” Cycledelics senior Meg Church said of the parity at the top of the pack. \nCycledelics, ranked No. 3 in the IDS poll, received the second most first-place votes.\nJust thinking about competing in her last race makes Church a little sad, she said. \n“I’m trying to soak in everything,” she said. “I feel like sometimes you get caught up in just trying to win ... you just need to take in all the atmosphere. Little 5’s different than any other thing you do, and it’s hard to explain that to anyone who’s not a rider.”\nBut in soaking up all the race has to offer, Church said she would be disappointed without a Little 500 championship, which would be the team’s first. \nAnother team hoping for its first win is Kappa Delta, which nearly won the race last year. Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Jess Sapp out-sprinted Kappa Delta’s Lauren Ziemba to the finish line at the 2006 race. Both riders graduated last year.\nSophomore Lauren Panzica said there is a sense of confidence in Kappa Delta, ranked No. 2 in the IDS poll. \n“We’re not racing for second, and no one else does,” Panzica said.\nIf they win, Kappa Delta would be only the third sorority to win the race. Kappa Kappa Gamma and Kappa Alpha Theta own nine trophies, five and four, respectively. \nSeries winners Kappa Alpha Theta hope by the end of the race they can even the score with the Kappas.\n“I definitely feel like we have the dynamic it takes to get to the final lap,” junior Liz Pallotta said. “I’m extremely confident in every single member.” \nThe women’s race starts Friday at 4 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10.