Residents will strip down to their boxers and brave the mid-January weather tonight at the annual Polar Bear Race.

The Birch-Welch-Roberts Residence Hall Programming Board sponsors the event. Residents run laps around Carrie Lane Court, the large grassy area in Old Richardson Court Association.

“It’s fun and gives students something to do when it’s cold outside and there is nothing going on,” Roberts Hall Director Steve Wisener said.

A residence hall floor makes up one team. Each member of the team has to run two laps, and the team has to run a total of six.

Wisener said the race will have three heats, one for BWR residents, Richardson Court women and Richardson Court men. The winners of each heat face off for the top team’s heat.

Wisener said this is the first year that the Polar Bear Race has been open to students other than BWR residents. He said about 20 to 30 students run, and 50 to 100 come to watch.

The race is also a part of the BWR Challenge, in which residents get points for every event they are involved in, Wisener said. He said the Polar Bear Race is one of the most popular events and has been held for four years now.

“The BWR Challenge is a program that was thought up by the BWR [programming] board. There is a total of around 24 major and minor events where floors compete for points,” said Michael Falk, Fairchild House president in Roberts Hall.

Falk, senior in meteorology, said the Polar Bear Race is a major event in the BWR Challenge.

“The first prize is 100 points, the second-place prize is 75 and for third place, the floor receives 50. At the end of each semester, the first-place team receives $250,” he said.

Last year, Fairchild House bought an air hockey table with the money members won in the BWR Challenge, Falk said. Fairchild House has participated in the Polar Bear Race for four years now.

“I did the race last year. Being outside wasn’t that bad; since I grew up in Minnesota, I am used to cold, but being out of shape is what hurt me the most,” said Jon Mathews, Fairchild House board representative.

Mathews, junior in computer engineering, said he didn’t place, but he finished the race.

“I went in after the race and collapsed on my friend’s floor. I was like a wet noodle,” he said.

There is a team running for Fairchild House this year, but Mathews said he will not be running.

“I am not crazy enough to do it again,” he said.

The race will be at 7 tonight in Carrie Lane Court of Old RCA.