For the past three years, Rosny CollegeÕs Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) program has grown through their involvement in the RACV Energy Breakthrough. The Tasmanian school is sending two teams to Victoria this year and Ð like so many teams gearing up for the Breakthrough – are frantically working on finishing their vehicles to race standard.
ÒWeÕre flat out trying to finish our Kevlar body shell for the big race in a few weeks, weÕve been working on it for about 3 months or so with some student CAD input.Ó Team Manager Gary Adderton said. ÒWe have to make two body shells this week and have just made the moulds off the plug! – We are busy!Ó
The teams are well supported by the college and their local community, the Wrest Point Hotel recently presenting a cheque for $1000 to the CollegeÕs HPV team. The sponsorship is a positive response to the excellent marketing endeavours by Rosny students and recognition of the value inherent in the HPV project.
This will help with the construction of vehicles to compete in the RACV Energy Breakthrough and the Salamanca Six Hour Trial to be conducted at Princess Wharf (Tasmania) early in 2006. A new race that was run for the first time in April 2005. It features a tight 600 metre track, which passes through a large 140 metre-long waterfront shed. The 6-hour race kicks off at 9am and is expected to draw around 20 vehicles for 2006. Entry fee is expected to be around $50 and RACT will assist in finding accommodation and can advise on transporting vehicles and teams.
ÒWe are already getting some good interest from mainland teams that may come down for the race and we will be giving out Info sheets at the Energy Breakthrough about our event.Ó Mr Adderton continued, with the Salamanca Six-Hour is scheduled for April 30, 2006.
ÒEveryone is really excited about developments down here – particularly as the RACT would like to have their name on our event in a similar way to the RACV in Victoria.Ó
To further their involvement, the RACT is hoping to have some representatives in Maryborough checking out all of the action.
ÒAll of this sounds very exciting. Rosny were initially invited to compete at Maryborough through our college’s close liaison with Bendigo Senior Secondary College. Since then it has taken up all of my spare time for the last three years.”
Gary Adderton is Team Manager for Rosny CollegeÕs two HPV C entries Ð Tassie 1 and Tassie 2.
For more information about the Salamanca Six-Hour, contact Gary at: gary.adderton@education.tas.gov.au
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