Six two-person teams of faculty members and students competed Friday in the Race to San Antonio - a scavenger hunt around campus where the winners were rewarded with a trip to the football game against Washington State.
"We're very excited for the race. We have been planning it since May," Hammes Bookstore marketing manager Kristin Blitch said. "And there was even a practice run with our staff to help work out the kinks to make it easier for the participants.
Sponsored by Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore, Anthony Travel, the Alumni Association and Notre Dame Food Services, the race started at 8 a.m. on Friday morning at the Hammes Bookstore. It followed an "Amazing Race" style format, using clues to lead participants to various locations around campus such as the library, fire department, Moreau seminary and the ND food services offices.
"We planned to do it on an away game weekend so no one would miss the game and so far it has worked out well. We are calling it the first annual," Blitch said, "Also because we are doing it on Sept. 11, we will take a moment of silence to remember all the events of the day and pray for all those affected by the tragedy of the event."
Though it was estimated that the race would last until 3 p.m., it ended around one o'clock with two seniors sponsored by Elia's restaurant, Xavier Burton and James Ouderkirk, taking the prize.
"Winning it was a great way to start senior year, is what Xavier and I decided. Other than that you can't be not be stoked when its that much that free," Ouderkirk said.
Burton and Ouderkirk won round trip airfare to San Antonio, a two-night stay at the Alumni hotel, two tickets to the game at the Alamodome and an invitation to the VIP luncheon. All proceeds from the race went to the United Way.
"I'm a big Notre Dame fan, aren't we all? Despite the heartbreak we keep coming back for more," Burton said. "To win the prize, it hasn't really sunk in yet. We'll probably be sitting in the airport waiting for our plane before it really sinks in."
Rules for the race were teammates must stay in 20 feet of each other, no phones, computers or any electric device could be used, no bikes or any type of mobilization was allowed and all members had to adhere to campus and local laws.
"We didn't really have a strategy. [We] just ran around like headless kooks and for some reason we got lucky a number of times," Burton said. "[We] found the places we needed to find. The next thing we knew we actually won and now we're off to San Antonio."