To the Races Part 1

Emily's college has an ASCE or American Society of Civil Engineers chapter.  They attend one of the 18 nationwide student conferences each year in the spring.  One of the competitions that occur during this conference are the concrete canoe races.  Of course to compete, each college must make their own concrete canoe.  Although Emily has participated in these conferences and these races for three years now, this past weekend was the first time that Mike and I and Laura ever attended.

As part of the competition, each team has to make a presentation about the engineering involved in creating their canoe.  Emily was a part of that team.  To win the concrete canoe competition, each of the 16 colleges participating is awarded points based on many things.  These include their presentation, their display about the year making the canoe, the canoe races and spirit shown.  The winner of this years competition will go on compete at the national level in June in Tyler Texas.

SIUC Concrete Canoe Oral Presentation Team.
They came in second overall.  

Mike and I can attest to the fact that concrete canoes do float.  We saw it.  Some of the canoes were pretty low in the water and some had cracks (including Emily's) and some had been taped but while we were there anyway they all floated.  These canoes have to be lightweight enough to float but sturdy enough to hold paddlers and sleek enough for maneuvering quickly through the water and slalom courses.  

Slalom means to zigzag between obstacles.  There were two slalom races,  one race for the guys and one for the girls.  The winner has the best time.  Emily Peterson and team captain Emily Walden were the girl slalom team.  They came in second at 7 minutes.  

 

After the slalom races there was a break in the activities.  Dana, Emily's roommate was going to participate in the girls sprints.  While we were waiting for those to begin, the team spread out picnic blankets and congregated under tents and relaxed.  Here are Dana and Emily relaxing along with Frankie our puppy.  Emily Walden's parents brought their dogs too so between the attention from the team and spectators and the chance to play with another puppy, Frankie needed the rest too.

TO BE CONTINUED