By Star Journal staff

In the world of sports, there are race cars that drive fast and short-distance runners who sprint. But not all races involve speed, as evidenced by the annual Rhinelander District Library Worm Race held Tuesday on the library lawn. It was the first live, in-person race since 2019.

Pairs of children chose their worms – and most importantly, named their worms – and waited for their turn on the track. Okay, the track is more…much more like a table that’s been sprayed with water, but that’s a minor detail.

Worms are dumped ceremoniously onto a yellow circle of plastic and encouraged to make their way past the edge of a larger circle, a trek of roughly 12 inches.

The final round pitted Yoshi against Cream Cheese in a grueling test of determination for the worms, and patience for their coaches. In the end, Isa and Luke Currie motivated Yoshi to the finish line first. Broden Kohnhorst and Nolan Ory’s Cream Cheese was runner… or wiggler-up.

[Pictured above, Cream Cheese won its initial heat, eventually placing second in this year’s Rhinelander District Library Worm Race.]