Students racing their model solar cars.
Source: Museum Victoria
Media are invited to join hundreds of students from across Victoria as they race solar-powered cars and boats in the 2009 Victorian Model Solar Vehicle Challenge at 11:30am, Sunday 18 October 2009.
“We are looking forward to a day of action and great excitement,” says event organiser Paul Wellington. “This year we see students putting in more effort than ever before to participate in the challenge and gain a valuable, hand-on chance to experience the power and potential of the sun.”
With the chance to compete at the National Finals in November, teams from up to 60 schools from across the state have spent months preparing their models for the annual competition.
The event, which began in 1990, encourages young people to explore the potential of solar energy through the construction of working models and boasts some of the finest achievements in technology and science by Victorian school children.
There are a number of competition categories during the day including student designed cars, kit cars and boats. The solar car models will compete on a specially built 100m figure 8 track, the kit cars in a “pursuit” around an oval track and the solar boats will race in a purpose built 10-metre pool.
The National finals of the 2009 Model Solar Vehicle Challenge will be held on 28 and 29 November at Scienceworks, with entries from around Australia pitted against international teams from Iran and Taiwan.
WHAT: Victorian Model Solar Vehicle Challenge 2009
WHO: Solar-powered model cars and boats racing on purpose-built tracks and pools. Students, teachers and parents from schools across Victoria. Event organiser, Paul Wellington.
WHEN: 11:30am, Sunday 18 October 2009
WHERE: Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood. Melway reference 56, B1
For further details please visit www.modelsolar-vic.net.
Scienceworks is open 10am–4.30pm daily. 2 Booker Street Spotswood
Ph: (03) 9392 4800. museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks