Sci ’16 makes slick history

Despite Saturday’s grim weather, Sci ’16 pressed on to become the first year ever in Grease Pole history to capture the tam on their first attempt at the directed climb.

Like other Grease Pole climbs, the frosh began the event left to their own devices in the pit trying to climb the pole.

Slowly upper years were allowed into the pit to splash and taunt the first-years , delaying their success further.

The directed climb was the final stage of the event when everyone, upper years and frosh alike, came together to coordinate climbing the pole.

Covered in mud and with shoes strapped to feet with duct tape, this year’s frosh completed the event in 1:30:48.

The fastest time ever in Grease Pole history, back before the times of directed climbs, was Sci ’77’s 17-minute climb.

The event was postponed from its original scheduled date of Sept. 8 due to inclement weather, but this didn’t deter students from beating last year’s time of 2:09:06.

Taylor Wheeler, Engineering Society President, said he thought the event went better than anyone could have expected.

“Everyone was pretty nervous we wouldn’t be able to run the event,” he said.

The Grease Pole event has never been cancelled, but, it has been split up into a two-day event when Sci ’72 was unsuccessful on their first day trials. Wheeler noted that about 500 frosh were in attendance along with approximately 250 upper-year students.

This was about two thirds of the average upper-year attendance of 450. Heavy rain fell as organizers set up and frosh began the climb, but the sun eventually came out and weather conditions hit a peak just as Sci ’16 retrieved the tam.

“It was almost kind of symbolic,” Water Team head Gordy Best said. As Water Team head, he’s responsible for the safety of the group in the pit.

“When they get that tam [it’s] a pretty magical feeling,” Best, Sci ’13 added.

Standing at six feet four inches, Jordy Jacob was chosen to capture the tam as this year’s Tam Frosh because of his height.

As he wore the greasy, lanolin-covered tam, Jacob beamed with pride.

“This is an unreal feeling,” Jacob, Sci ’16 said. “Apparently I’m now Tam Frosh for the rest of my career here. Everybody will know who I am.”

During and after the event, many students shivered and covered themselves with blankets to stay warm – but not Jacob, who didn’t appear to be cold.

“I was,” he said, “but once I pulled [the tam] off I was all warm.”