Going Green - Solar replaces Skates
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| 'Some have two crew' . |
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Route of the Frisian Solar Challenge - .. . |
Following canals, rivers, and lakes, with the occasional portage, the race this year has 40 teams from eight countries, including Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Luxemburg, Poland, Sweden, and even Brazil, as well as the Netherlands.
The race is divided into three classes: the A class is for one-person boats, the B class is for two-person boats, and the open or C class can have a crew of any size.
To keep costs down, entries in the A and B class can borrow solar panels from the race's sponsors, Sharp and The Sun Factory. (This second edition of the Frisian Solar Challenge is made possible by the sponsoring of the energy company Eneco, Rabobank, Sharp, and The Sun Factory.)
The six-day race concludes on June 28 back at its starting point in Leeuwarden.
The Province of Frysl?n and a large number of municipalities along the route support the race. The teams registering for the Frisian Solar Challenge are not allowed to participate straight away - The technical committee of the Frisian Solar Challenge evaluates the boats several times during their construction.
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Frisian Solar Challenge gets underway - Photo courtesy Frisian Solar Challenge, Hoge Noorden / Jacob Van Esse - .. . |
The aim of the organizers of the Frisian Solar Challenge is to connect the elements of the historical Frisian Eleven Cities Skating Race to this race with its young participants (students from universities in the Netherlands and abroad) and new applications of solar energy in the shipping industry.
The Frisian Solar Challenge is also a place for new encounters: The participating teams from high-tech companies and students from around the world are provided the opportunity to meet the Frisian people.
However, the greatest challenge is to show that you do not need to live in a sun-drenched tropical country to be able to generate and apply solar power. That fact was indisputably proven last year by the first race along the Eleven Frisian Cities.
To follow the race go to the Frisian Solar Challengewebsite.
by Des Ryan
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