Little 5 Week pedaled into motion on Tuesday, April 15, with the debut of the Tricycle Race, a new addition to DePauw’s annual spring tradition. The event took place from 5 to 7 p.m. in Stewart Plaza and East College Lawn, drawing students from across campus to participate in or cheer on the six-person trike heats.
The course began and ended in Stewart Plaza, winding its way across the grassy stretch of East College Lawn. Despite partly cloudy skies and a brisk wind making the 54°F temperature feel a little colder, students arrived bundled in hoodies and jackets, ready to cheer, race and represent their teams.
The format was casual and open as students could register on the spot, solo or with friends. Each heat featured six riders, with the winner earning points for their Little 5 team. Labeled “Tricycle Tuesday,” the event invited participants to test their balance and speed on small plastic trikes, often with humorous results.
The race quickly became a crowd-pleaser. Racers struggled to steer or stay upright as the tricycles skidded across pavement and grass. The unexpected wipeouts and clumsy turns drew bursts of laughter from the crowd, which captured the lighthearted and playful energy of the event.
Among the most spirited teams was Kappa Alpha Theta, whose members arrived early and brought contagious energy. They encouraged their sisters to race and hyped up each heat from the sidelines. Madeleine Collier ’25 saw the event as a meaningful send-off, describing it as a final opportunity to show support for her house and celebrate the lead-up to the weekend’s Criterium Race. She appreciated seeing such a strong turnout and cross-campus engagement, all while supporting the United Way of Central Indiana.
Adil Sheikh ’28, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, initially came to support his friends but found himself signing up to race. For him, the Tricycle Race was not only his first Little 5 event, but it became a standout experience of his first year at DePauw.
Others, like Thi Doan ’27, opted to support from the sidelines. She came to cheer for her Delta Gamma sisters and found the event thoroughly entertaining. Watching her friends try to steer unwieldy trikes, she said, made for some of the best laughs of the week.
With the tricycles rolled away and the wind still blowing, students lingered in the plaza, taking group photos, congratulating racers and talking about what’s next. The excitement is building for Saturday’s Criterium Race, where teams will compete in a fast-paced bike relay around College Street.
The Tricycle Race followed Monday’s Supermarket Sweep, with results from both events contributing to the overall Little 5 team standings. As of Tuesday night, Delta Upsilon led the leaderboard, followed by Phi Delta Theta in second place and Alpha Chi Omega in third.
