Hosted by the Santa Barbara Track Club
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01/12/19: Beach Wins Thoreson 30 Title
01/07/19: Olympians & NCAA Champions to Compete in Thoreson 30 Minute Decathlon
01/07/19: The Athletic Experience Thoreson 30 Preview (podcast)
12/11/18: Santa Barbara Track Club to Host Thoreson 30 Minute Decathlon & Youth Triple
Join us for this special event honoring David Thoreson at Westmont College. Beginning at 10:00am at Westmont College, a field of Decathletes will attempt the 10-event, 30 minute challenge created by Thoreson in the 1970s. At 11:00am the SBTC will also host a 30 minute, three event challenge for youth (ages 7-13), including a Softball Throw, Long Jump and 400m Dash.
Event history and athlete bios can be found below the RSVP form.
The Saturday, January 12 event is free for spectators and participants thanks to the Warkentin Family. A luncheon reunion will follow the Youth Triple at 11:30am and is also hosted at Thorrington Field.
→ Visiting Westmont College Information
So we can best plan, we request that all youth participants or those joining us for the luncheon reunion RSVP using the form below.
About the Decathlon
A traditional decathlon consists of ten track and field events that are contested over two days. The event developed from the ancient pentathlon, held at the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern decathlon first appeared on the Olympic athletics program at the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The title of "World's Greatest Athlete" has traditionally been given to the person who wins the decathlon. This began when King Gustav V ofSweden told Jim Thorpe, "You, sir, are the world's greatest athlete" afterThorpe won the decathlon at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912.
The current decathlon world record holder is France’s Kevin Mayer, who scored 9,126 points at the 2018 Décastar.
About the 30 minute Decathlon
Events in the 30 minute decathlon will be competed in the same order as in a traditional Decathlon–100 meters, Long Jump, Shot Put High Jump, 400 meters, 110/100 meters hurdles, Discus Throw, Pole Vault, Javelin Throw, and 1500 meters.
Due to the condensed schedule athletes will begin on their own in the 100 meters, three minutes apart from each other. At their individual 30 minute mark the athlete’s 1500m time will begin at 30:00, regardless if the athlete is present.
Scoring will be based on standards developed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which assigns a score to every run, jump, or throw. The athlete with the highest total score will be declared the winner.
Legend has it that he current world record in the 30 minute Decathlon is above 6400 points but the exact number is unknown.
Each Decathlete will have a "Dec-Caddy" to support them during the event, keeping track of gear, transition times and more.
In Honor of David Thoreson
Organized by the Santa Barbara Track Club (SBTC) and hosted at Westmont College, the event honors David Thoreson, a national class Decathlete who won the bronze medal at the 1967 Pan American Games.
Thoreson created the 30 minute Decathlon and had a best score of 6,233pts, a world record which stood for many years. He later worked at La Colina Junior High School becoming an institution to the thousands of students he impacted.
START TIMES & COMPETING ATHLETE BIOS (in reverse order)
10:21am - Curtis Beach
College: Duke, Class of 2014
Decathlon Best: 8084pts
Strengths & Accolades
NCAA Indoor Heptathlon Champion
4th at 2016 Indoor Worlds
WR Heptathlon 1000m
2nd Fastest Decathlon 1500m of All Time
Currently training for the decathlon professionally
Potential Weaknesses
Third attempts are not his ally here
400m ability will be debilitated by the short break allowed before the 110m Hurdles
Spent 2017 & 2018 training for the 400mH & 800m, while everyone else was training for the Heptathlon/Decathlon
10:18am - Sharon Day-Monroe
College: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Class of 2008
Heptathlon Best: 6,550pts
Strengths & Accolades
2x Olympian (High Jump 2008 & Heptathlon 2012)
NCAA High Jump Champion
7x USA Champion
USA Record Holder in the Indoor Pentathlon
Nobody else in field has done a 30-minute Decathlon either
Potential Weakness
This isn’t a Heptathlon!
Has practiced Pole Vault for about 3 weeks total
Hasn’t done a Decathlon
10:15am - Tom FitzSimons
College: Mount St Mary's University, Class of 2012
Decathlon Best: 7791pts
Strengths & Accolades
Bronze Medalist at the 2014 USATF Championships
NCAA All-American
2x Team USA (Thorpe Cup)
Has come out of retirement before
Amazing ability to change shoes
Potential Weaknesses
Worried about left quad detaching from femur at the 21st minute
10:12am - Derek Masterson
College: UCSB, Class of 2013
Decathlon Best: 7631pts
Strengths & Accolades
2x Top 10 Finisher at USA Championships
NCAA Championships Qualifier
HUCKS all three implements
Always nimble - natural athlete
Potential Weaknesses
Might be 20+ pounds heavier than his old playing weight
Doesn’t know his steps, nor even know what pole he will use in the vault?!
Below average ability of changing his event shoes
10:09am - Evan Weinstock
College: Brown, Class of 2014
Decathlon Best: 7557pts
Strengths & Accolades
2018 Team USA Olympian in the 4-Man Bobsled
Nevada 4A High School Footballer of the Year
As explosive as he's ever been
Brown University School Record Holder
Potential Weaknesses
He made the Olympics in the Bobsled, not Decathlon
His massive Clean PR won't help 50% of the events
Might outweigh Derek, which won’t help in jumps or throws
10:06am - Anthony Cota
College: Westmont, Class of 2018
Decathlon Best: 6592pts
Strengths & Accolades
6’11 High Jumper
Multiple Time NAIA All American
2018 GSAC Conference Meet MVP
Potential Weaknesses
Threw out all his old event spikes months ago
Hasn’t worked out much since graduation
10:03am - Brett Shagena
College: Westmont, Class of 2018
Decathlon Best: 5093pts
Strengths & Accolades
GSAC Conference Champion in the Pole Vault
Not his first decathlon
Overly confident
Potential Weaknesses
Overly confident
Only gets to spend 3 minutes pole vaulting
10:00am - Travis Smelley
College: Westmont College, Class of 2018
Decathlon Best: 4936pts
Strengths & Accolades
Will sacrifice his body to try and win the 400m and 1500m despite consequence
Doesn't feel pain, ever
Potential Weaknesses
Hurdles are still 42 inches
Discus requires a spin to go far
He’s the first one to go