CONCRETE CHAMPIONS FLOAT AWAY WITH FOURTH STRAIGHT VICTORY
Media Contact(s):Joan Buhrman, ASCE
703-295-6406, 571-213-3812 (cell),
jbuhrman@asce.org
Kelly Mawby, Degussa,
216-839-7071, 216-780-5964 (cell),
kelly.mawby@degussa.com
Courtney Hentges, OSU,
405-880-3340 (cell),
courtney.hentges@okstate.edu
CONCRETE CHAMPIONS FLOAT AWAY WITH FOURTH STRAIGHT VICTORY
University of Wisconsin-Madison Takes First Place in 2006 National Concrete Canoe Competition
University of Wisconsin-Madison Takes First Place in 2006 National Concrete Canoe Competition
Stillwater, Okla. — This was no ordinary boat race. The competitors weren't sleek sailboats riding the winds or high-powered yachts muscling their way across the finish line. These were canoes. Made of concrete. Hundreds of pounds of concrete. And the only thing propelling these water-worthy crafts was the determination of the engineering students that created them in a bid to win the 'America's Cup of Civil Engineering.'
Like all success stories, the journey for the University of Wisconsin-Madison was demanding. Countless calculations and measurements made to meet the strict competition requirements, and aching muscles from hours of paddling practice were just a few of the challenges facing the Badgers when they set out to compete in the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) 19th Annual National Concrete Canoe Competition. But, with ingenuity and rock hard determination, they paddled their canoe, the Forward, to victory. Capturing their fourth straight Concrete Canoe title today at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, the team's 21-foot-long, 162-pound, natural gray canoe defeated entries from 22 other top engineering schools from across the country.
"This year's class of National Concrete Canoe Competition students is exceptionally creative, innovative and dedicated," said ASCE President Dennis R. Martenson, P.E., DEE, F.ASCE. "As the engineers of tomorrow, they represent the future of our nation's infrastructure, and the skills they have displayed these past three days assures me that our future will be very bright indeed."
The team's closest competitors were California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and Clemson University. Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo paddled into second place with the white, 250-pound, 21.25-foot-long Katana; and Clemson finished a close third with the brown granite, 151-pound, 18.667-foot-long Take It For Granite. For their top finishes, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and Clemson earned $5,000, $2,500 and $1,500 in scholarship money, respectively.
The 2006 ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition teams in order of final rank are:
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1) University of Wisconsin-Madison
2) California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
3) Clemson University
4) University of California, Berkeley
5) Michigan Technological University
6) University of Nevada, Reno
7) The University of Alabama in Huntsville
8) Western Kentucky University
9) University of Wisconsin-Platteville
10) Drexel University
11) Oklahoma State University
12) University of Washington
13) Ohio Northern University
14) North Carolina State University
15) University of Evansville
16) University of Oklahoma
17) Fairmont State University
18) University of Maine
Five-way tie for 19th Place:
19) Clarkson University
19) Louisiana State University
19) Polytechnic University
19) South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
19) Texas A&M University
The races, both endurance and sprint combined, counted for only 25 percent of the teams' overall score. The remaining 75 percent was based equally on: a technical design paper that highlighted the planning, development, testing and construction of the team's canoe; a formal five-minute oral presentation, in which the team had to detail their canoe's design, construction, racing ability and other innovative features, as well as defend their choices to the judges during a question and answer session; and the end product — the final racing canoe and project display, which were scored on aesthetics and visual presentation.
The three-day event, organized by ASCE and hosted by Oklahoma State University, is made possible by the generous support of founding sponsor Degussa Admixtures, Inc., as well as the American Concrete Institute, Baker Concrete Construction, CEMEX, ICS Penetron, Pennoni Associates, Inc, Propex Concrete Systems, Bentley Systems Incorporated and U.S. Silica Company.
For more information contact Joan Buhrman at 703-295-6406 or 571-213-3812 (cell phone), or Kelly Mawby at 216-839-7071 or 216-780-5964 (cell phone). Information can also be obtained at http://www.asce.org/inside/nccc2006/index.cfm.
The National Concrete Canoe Competition is organized by the American Society of Civil Engineers and is funded by the generous support of Degussa Admixtures, Inc., with additional sponsorship provided by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), Baker Concrete Construction, CEMEX, ICS Penetron, Pennoni Associates, Inc, Propex Concrete Systems, Bentley Systems Incorporated and U.S. Silica Company. This year's event is hosted by Oklahoma State University.
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