Duck Pond Relay Sets the Pace for Youths’ Visit to College

Hundreds of screaming fans lined the banks as soggy students kicked furiously on their inner-tube floats Thursday at the 23rd annual Cypress College Duck Pond Race.

A mid-pond collision between two rival mortuary science teams that were in the lead brought them to a halt and, in the confusion, the all-female dental hygiene team came from behind to win.

“The water was pretty chilly at first,” said Lori Jors, 35, of San Diego, a member of the winning team. The race is a relay in which a team member paddles on the inner tubes to a certain points, climbs off and yields to the next relay paddler.

Among college students who turned out for the event were about 1,500 high school seniors on campus as part of an annual program to acquaint them with Cypress College.

Dave Wassenaar, director of student activities, said the Duck Pond race is a popular feature of the visitors’ day. “It’s been an annual event,” he said. “It’s kind of a tradition.”

In Thursday’s competition, the dental hygiene team, wearing red T-shirts, had strong crowd support and the determination to win. “When our team learned there was a prize involved, we were determined to beat them all,” Jors said.

An arc of colored balloons hovered over the pond, and a likeness of the Olympic rings floated on the water. A rock band played in the background.

The high school visitors seemed to enjoy the spectacle.

“I think it’s crazy,” said Jill Opheim, 17, a senior at Cypress High School. “I know that water is gross.” But, yes, she conceded, it was fun. And the day’s events started her thinking about attending Cypress College.

That’s the point, college official Wassenaar said--to make the students feel at home.