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Tech Team Wins Concrete Canoe Competition
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Michigan Technological University's concrete canoe team floated a new design this year and paddled home to victory.
The team finished first in the American Society of Civil Engineers' North Central Regional Concrete Canoe Competition held at Lawrence Tech last weekend.
"One of the reasons was that we had a really good canoe," said C. Robert Baillod, chair of MTU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "We've learned a lot from the mistakes of past years, and this time we invested in a marine architecture design package for the hull.
"It was a faster canoe."
So much faster, in fact, that the team won all of the racing events, including sprints and distance races for men, women and co-ed teams.
"I wish I had been there to see them win by several lengths," Baillod said. "We had some really dedicated paddlers, and they practiced very hard."
About 200 schools send teams to 20 regional concrete canoe competitions. Participants in the North Central Region were the University of Michigan, the University of Akron, Ohio Northern University, Western Michigan University, St. Clair College and Lawrence Tech, as well as Michigan Tech. This year, the races were at Kensington Metro Park, with the classroom phase located at Lawrence Tech.
"Everybody's pretty happy; I've got a pile of plaques and trophies here on my desk," Baillod said. "One thing that made it easier was that our historical nemesis, Michigan State, didn't field a team."
"That's too bad," he added. "We'd have beaten them, too."
The MTU team will travel to Philadelphia in June to take part in the National Concrete Canoe Competition.
Michigan Tech students participating in the competition are Brian Wardman, Craig Morehouse, Chris Huyser, Eric Seguin, Erron Peuse, Erin Sturgell, Jon Rumble, Jen Byle, Kriselda Cuellar, Krista Kirk, Matthew Dura, Melissa Shindorf, Ray Trudgeon, Stefanie Block, Tim Bates, Tim Martin and Tyler Ploucha.
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