Defending champions Nanango State High School (SHS) snuck home by 2 laps to win the 2008 Maryborough Technology Challenge (MTC) ahead of the local crews from Maryborough SHS 'Rhinos' and St Mary's team 'EPO'.
The close finish to the 24Hr HPV race capped off a great seventh edition of the challenge, which again included a cycling criterium, Co2 dragsters, solar boats and cars, young inventors, robotics and pushcarts. MTC Site Manager Andrew Jackson later described the 2008 event as the best ever.
The field The field in the HPV event saw a record 86 starters with a wide range of vehicle types including:
traditional
single seater HPVs
tilt-steering HPVs
side-by-side, back-to-back and in-line tandems
single wheel at the front, two wheels at the rear, and
a hand-cycle.
the circuit
The 1.5km circuit features a smooth downhill front straight, a chicane and hairpin section and a grueling uphill climb on the back straight. The race (and time) is really won and lost up the hill. Better riders will clock between 2:40 - 3:00 minutes for a lap.
the racing Over the first few hours,team EPO from St Mary's College led Nanango and Maryborough SHS. We certainly hope they weren't on any gear - but their initial pace was excellent.
At dusk, Nanango took charge and at one point pushed out an 8 lap lead. Whilst they looked like getting away from the field, a series of flat tyres and quick opposition saw them brought back as the clock ran down. The Slipstreamers rode shorter stints and pitted more frequently as fatigue and heat took its toll.
Away from the leaders
And at the Chequered Flag... The race went down to the wire with the two leaders just 1 lap apart with 40 minutes left to race. Nanango was ahead, but another flat tyre lost them 2 minutes and brought the Rhinos back into contention.
With the two teams sending their final riders on to the track together for a final 20 minute effort, the gap was just 1 minute and ten seconds, but a stellar final ride for Nanango and a poor one from the Rhinos saw the gap blow out to a full 2 laps. It's believed that a late crash put paid to the Rhinos charge.
The Nanango team, who came down to the 2007 RACV Energy Breakthrough and thought the racing was 'a bit rough', were stoked: "To win two years in a row is awesome. All our training paid off." Team Leader Jack Andress told the Fraser Coast Chronicle.
About the event
Article written by Nigel Preston,
RACV Energy Breakthrough Planning Committee & Assistant Site Manager at the
2008 Maryborough Technology Challenge.
Images courtesy of Michael Carkegis
