The traffic on the mailing list is starting to pick up and no doubt the teams are looking at the number of days remaining and trying to work out how they’re going to get everything together in time to get to Darwin for a few weeks before the 21st of October and the start of thePanasonic World Solar Challenge 2007.
This year is likely to see a lot more interest in the contest that’s been running since the first WSC 20 years ago, now that more attention is focused on the environment.
Although the official announcment hasn’t been made, it looks like the teams will at least comprise:
Adventure class:
Challenge Class:
- Fachhochschule Bochum SolarCar Team
- Houston Solar Race Team (High School entry)
- Kansas State University Solar Racing Team (I note they’re using a CSIRO motor
- University of Waterloo
I’m also expecting a Sungroper 3 entry from Leeming Senior High School and Willeton Senior High School with Sungroper 1, assuming all the relevant hurdles can be overcome to get the staff, students and cars to the starting line in Darwin.
Having been on two World Solar Challenges, if you can get a chance to compete in it, go (even if it involves building your own car :). The experience of being amongst teams of very smart people from all over the world all competing against (and at the same time helping) each other in the midst of the relative nowhere of Australia is incomparable.
