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We know you’re pretty excited about this year’s RACV Energy Breakthrough (yes, we’ve already been getting some calls and emails from excited teachers and team managers) – BUT you’ll have to wait a few more days before this year’s School’s Handbook is released.

Why?

We’ve been aware for a while now that the RACV Energy Breakthrough is facing some key challenges for the future. As we work towards the 25th edition of this event, broadly speaking these key challenges can be summarised by:

  1. overwhelming demand for places in the Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) events,
  2. safety concerns with the Try-athlon Primary class participating on the Holden Track alongside the Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEVs),
  3. the difficulty for schools and their communities to develop and maintain an Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV), and
  4. enhancing the event’s connection with local tourism.

Over this past summer, the three joint partners – the Central Goldfields Shire Council, the Country Education Project and the RACV – have been working together on a number of solutions that we believe will help alleviate some of these issues above. Not just for this year, but over the next five to ten years.

We’re in the final stages of confirming one potential option that will change the face of this year’s RACV Energy Breakthrough for the better.
One that we believe promises a safer and more exciting experience.
As a result, we’re not quite ready to release the School’s Handbook yet.

So, what can we tell you today?

  • We are still planning for entries to open at 8am on Wednesday, 11 March 2015.
    We encourage you to get ready too.
  • To enable greater participation, the HPV Primary teams (Class A) will be allowed to run up to a maximum of 10 riders.
    You’ll still have to have an even gender ratio of boys to girls too.
  • The specifications for HPV and EEV vehicles are virtually finalised.
    There’s some new specs requiring overheard protection (that are similar to those found in the Australian HPV Super Series) – and some maximum weight limits too, but not too many other curly rule changes. It’s our preference to release these specifications at the same time as the Handbook, where possible.
  • The Pushcarts will have some timetable modifications,
    to improve the experience for students and teachers, reduce waiting times and improve the connection to other categories.
  • The Innovations in Technology teams will have new restrictions on the use of compressed air in the Crafty Design component, as we aim to drive students to explore renewable energies.
  • There’ll be revised and improved Marshall training, developed in collaboration with and through the support of other events.

 

Thanks for your energy and support – stay tuned.

Nigel Preston
RACV Energy Breakthrough