Solar Splash

« St. Johns (AZ) High School was the top finisher in the Solar Express class.

Despite having a small team, Geneva College (PA) finished 5th in the overall standings. »

« The U.S. Coast Guard Academy got off to a slow start in Qualifying, but made a strong finish to end up 4th in the overall standings.

Marquette University turned in excellent performances in many areas to finish 2nd in the overall standings for the second consecutive year. »

« The hometown team from the University at Buffalo won the Outstanding Drive Train trophy.

Cal-Poly Pomona finished 3rd in the overall standings. »

« The Wilson High School team from Phoenix prepares their boat for the Endurance Event.

The Desert Pointe Academy entry was the fastest qualifier of the Solar Express class boats. »

« The ETS boat had a very impressive day, easily winning the Endurance Event in their first year with this hull.

Desert Pointe (#20) and ETS (#11) are parading in front of the Japanese gardens at the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. The first lap of each Endurance heat was a parade lap. »

« The ETS entry from Canada is a sleek entry that has the shape of an airplane. It is shown here in a qualifying run.

The Cal-Poly Pomona boat made some impressive runs today. The California boat set a new record on the Slalom course. »

« Not all is hard work at Solar Splash. The Columbia skipper finds time to take a break between runs.

Each morning a skippers' meeting is held to discuss the day's events. Competition Manager Doug Peters is shown here giving instructions to the teams. »

« Desert Pointe High School from Arizona reconfigures their boat for the sprint qualifier.

A number of people from different teams gave a hand to help the University at Buffalo get their boat in the water. »

« The Columbia entry is a hovercraft - the first of its kind attempted at Solar Splash.

The Park School waits at the start line for a qualifying run. »

« Seventeen teams arrived in Buffalo for Solar Splash. The event officially began today with registration, technical inspections, but mostly just unpacking and getting ready for the events of the coming days. The weather was great again today, with mostly clear skies.

The day ended with the annual "mixer" - the first official get-together of all the teams. Local Buffalonians welcomed all the visitors. We go to hear stories of previous Solar Splashes and were entertained by several of the teams. »

« The day in Buffalo was a perfect 10. The sun was out all day without a cloud in the sky, and the high temperature was around 75 degrees. This shot of the arched bridge with the Historical Society building in the background shows the clear sky and smoothness of Hoyt Lake.

Students from Wilson Charter High School in Arizona are shown with their boat after it was unloaded from the long ride in an 18-wheeler. The truck brought the boats and equipment for three Arizona high schools and was provided and driven by Steve Hubbell, father of one of the team members from St. Johns High School. »