TMCnet News

Student Teams from Long Beach Poly, Canyon and West Covina High Schools Earn Top Spots at Metropolitan's 2014 Solar Cup™
[May 18, 2014]

Student Teams from Long Beach Poly, Canyon and West Covina High Schools Earn Top Spots at Metropolitan's 2014 Solar Cup™


LAKE SKINNER, Calif. --(Business Wire)--

The nation's largest solar-powered boat competition concluded today with boats built and raced by students from Long Beach Poly High School , Canyon High School of Anaheim and West Covina High School claiming the top awards at Metropolitan Water District's 12th annual Solar Cup™.

The schools were among the 40 teams representing Metropolitan's six-county, 5,200 square-mile service area that includes Los Angeles, Orange (News - Alert), Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. Solar Cup is a school-year-long program in which students build, equip and race the 16-foot, single-seat canoes powered only by the sun.

The Solar Cup program is a team-based educational competition that allows students to apply their skills in math, physics, engineering and communications, while learning about Southern California's water resources, resource management, conservation and alternative energy development.

Long Beach Poly and Canyon high schools tied for first place in the veterans division - the first tie in the event's history - while West Covina High School took the top prize in the rookie division at the three-day competition at Metropolitan's Lake Skinner in the Temecula Valley of southwestern Riverside County.

"Those participating in Solar Cup 2014 displayed the hard work, skill and enthusiasm that is a hallmark of the program," said Randy Record, Chairman of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors. "Over the last three days, these students have demonstrated they have learned the applied skills this competition fostes and cultivates."



Added Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger: "The kids learn so much about conserving natural resources, problem-solving and teamwork. Those skills will serve them well as they continue to complete their educations and start their careers."

Also at the event were Metropolitan directors Michael Camacho of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Glen Peterson of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and John Morris of the City of San Marino.


Teams completed a series of qualifying events Friday (May 16) supported by Metropolitan staff and a technical advisory team from Harvey Mudd and Occidental colleges to ensure boats met rules and were safe and seaworthy as well as scores of volunteers. Saturday (May 17) the teams attached solar-collection panels to the boats for two, 90-minute, 1-mile endurance races.

Today, the heavy solar-collection panels were removed and, using solar energy stored in batteries, raced down a 200-meter stretch-like drag racing on water.

The 2014 Solar Cup program began last fall when Metropolitan's member agencies announced their school sponsorships. Teams are sponsored by their local water agencies and other organizations to equip the crafts with solar panels, batteries, steering and related systems.

Metropolitan provided teams with identical kits of marine-grade plywood to build the hull. While all teams must build a new boat and equip it, returning teams were allowed to use equipment from previous boats.

Following are the trophies and awards presented today. Complete Solar Cup scores will be posted as soon as possible at Metropolitan's website, mwdh2o.com.

Veteran Teams, Cities, sponsoring member/local agency:

First Place - Long Beach Poly High School (Long Beach Water Department) and Canyon High School (Anaheim Public Utilities)

Hottest-looking Boat - Los Osos High School of Rancho Cucamonga (Inland Empire Utilities Agency)

Rookie Division - Teams, Cities, sponsoring member/local agency:

First Place - West Covina High School (Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District)

Hottest-Looking Boat - Fremont Academy of Engineering & Design of Pomona (Three Valleys Municipal Water District)

Bart Bezyack Memorial Spirit of Solar Cup Trophy (sportsmanship) Teamwork Award:

Los Osos High School

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.


[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]