2014 Contenders and Challengers

HPV Secondary

I’m anticipating a big three way tussle for line honours at this week’s 24^th RACV Energy Breakthrough: St Margaret’s School & Berwick Grammar, Higview Christian College, Bendigo Senior SC. All three have now done it before.

Fun Fact: The past three HPV Secondary trial winners have had clean coreflute canopies at the finish line. (EDEC’s Zavanz, BSSC’s DIY and SMS/BGS’s Zeus). Good to know you don’t need the space age composite stuff to win AND that clean riding is fast riding.

Defending Champions: St Margaret’s School and Berwick Grammar

2013 Result: 1^st on track, Equal 1st Overall in HPV Open Class, All-Female class winners
Prediction: Line Honours Contender. HPV Open Contender. All-Female Contender.
The hunter becomes the hunted and now it’s a different proposition. The word is there is an all new carbon fibre / compositie fairing on it’s way to Maryborough with this squad. Many of their young riders from last year are still with the squad PLUS they are celebrating a decade of HPV at St Margaret’s. Read more here >

Highview Christian College

2013 Result: 2nd in trial
Prediction: Line Honours Contender.
They’ve built their first carbon fibre chassis and are expecting it will be quick.

They reclaimed the ‘best local’ crown back last year and were the best-of-the-rest after SMS/BGS’s.

Kingswood College

2013 Result: 5th overall in trial. Equal 1st Overall in HPV Open Class
Prediction: Line Honours Contender.
A new year, a new trike, new students from the Kingswood crew from Box Hill. Last year they won Design & Construction, the Display & Presentation AND tied for the HPV Open class win. Wow.

Bendigo Senior SC

2013 Result: 11th in trial
Prediction: Line Honours Contender. HPV C Contender
The Bendigo boys have taken a simpler and traditional approach with ‘Grand Theft Mango’ after a very difficult and challenging time with their front-wheel-drive-front-wheel-steer last year. They have some cool ‘ground effect’ ideas too. They went very well in Murray Bridge to take the Class win there. Their HPV C team might just be the one to beat too.

Woodleigh College

2013 Result: 8th overall in trial.
Prediction: Line Honours Outsiders, and B2 Contenders
Now led by two highly capable ex-students in Gerard De La Rue and Jono Keene, this squad has got it’s mojo flowing. They have three Year 9s in their Open team, so can they hang in there overnight? They were super consistent (the most consistent?) over the Victorian HPV Series this year too.

HPV B1 / B2

These categories are going to be supremely tight – which will be fantastic for spectators and the teams alike. The Display & Presentation and Design & Construction elements will be more crucial than ever.

Eaglehawk SC

2013 Result: B2 Trial Winner. Fourth Overall.
Prediction: B1 and B2 Contenders
This crew were flying – quite literally – last year as they clocked the fastest lap EVER around the 1.34km circuit. They were also prone to the odd crash too, but were on three wheels enough to stick fourth place on the road by 1:30pm on Sunday and they were 11 laps clear of Creek Street Christian College.

Also in the mix?

Creek Street Christian College, Catholic College Bendigo, Drouin SC, Girton Grammar, Highview College, Woodleigh School, Maryborough Education Centre.

HPV C

Maryborough Education Centre

2013 Result: HPV C Trial Winner.
Prediction: Contender for HPV C

They held Mt Eliza at bay throughout last year’s trial and will be aiming to repeat the performance. With the super-long-serving Team Manager Doug Marr retiring at the end of this year, you can expect a heck of a lot of spirit, too!

Mt Eliza Secondary College
Just four laps off Maryborough Ed Centre at the flag last year, we’re expecting them to take it up to the locals again. With two entries in HPV C they have options, too.

HPV Primary

Contenders: Maiden Gully vs Frankston

You could barely separate Maiden Gully and Frankston throughout the HPV Primary Trial last year and we can only hope that this year’s contest will be just as tight! Maryborough Ed Centre were also impressive as were the impressive Tootgarook. Special mention of Jells Park Primary School that we’ve been following in our progress reports throughout this year.

In the HPV A1 class (for schools with less than 200 students), it was Calendonian Primary School that put their rivals on notice, finishing nine laps clear of Avoca with Garfield a further five back. So much energy and excitement around the HPV Primary schools – they are all just bubbling with it.

Energy Efficient Vehicles

Such a great field here and some that we have followed through the year with our Progress Reports (Seymour and Cobden)

Keep an out for Chris Brooks’ teams from Cobden Tech School (if you can – they first and second last year and finished 30 laps clear of third placed Girton!). However, I hear that Cobden’s canopies are difficult to repair if badly damaged.

But Girton have been making great gains in the HPVs and we can expect that energy to translate to the EEVs too, they’re back with another single power sourced vehicle and it’ll be interesting to see how team’s play their strategies.

Maryborough Ed Centre’s enduring ‘Black Magic’ always put up a fight and with Team Manager Doug Marr retiring they will be aiming to send him off in style.

There’s the very well traveled Rode Rage team, recently back from riding to Port Douglas, ever present Toorak College, the pink ladies from Mater Christi and Chairo all in the mix. Chairo ran a very strong all-electric last year that we think might go even faster this year.

Missing in action?
No Weeroona College anywhere in the event for the first time in a really, really long time.

Try-athlon