Feb. 2, 2010
Contact: Amy Hewes, College of Engineering
ahewes@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly Hosting National Concrete Canoe Finals This June
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Cal Poly's Concrete Canoe Team will have the home "lake" advantage this year when the university hosts the National Concrete Canoe Competition June 17-19. Racing events are set to take place at Laguna Lake Park in the city of San Luis Obispo.
The annual event is sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The competition challenges civil engineering teams from around the nation to build a canoe from concrete - then race it.
Students learn real-world team and project management skills while and apply engineering principals when they build the canoes -- 20-footers that seat four students. To win, students have to find the right concrete mix: Both lightweight (for concrete) and strong.
The annual competition events range from the best of men’s and women’s slalom, sprint, and best academic paper designs and presentations.
The ASCE will award the winniing teams prizes from $1,500 to $5,000.
In 2009, the Cal Poly Concrete Canoe placed third at nationals. The team has taken first overall 11 of the last 13 years. Read about the 2009 Concrete Canoe Team.