Solar Boats to Race on Lake Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For the first time in its 13-year history, Solar Splash, the world’s only intercollegiate solar electric boat design and race competition, will be held in Fayetteville June 21-25 at Lake Fayetteville.

In 2002, the University of Arkansas Solar Boat team was named world champion at Solar Splash. In the past two years of competition, the team has finished second place overall. This year, the Arkansas team is hosting the competition and looking forward to a strong finish.

Team captain Zac Pianalto said, “This year we have a new boat with a new design. We’re expecting high-speed performance and hope the new design will help to improve our endurance.” Pianalto graduated in May with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering.

With 16 schools competing from around the world, the five-day event is expected to be fun not only for the teams but for the Fayetteville community as well.

“We love our festivals, but this is going to be a new, fun and diverse event coming to Fayetteville, and it’s a good partnership between the Parks and Recreation Department, the engineering [college] at the university and the Visitors Bureau," said Allyson Twiggs, director of the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau.

All events are free and open to the public.

Solar Splash gives students a structure in which they can apply the theories of their disciplines in practice. Participants must coordinate many complex tasks simultaneously and ensure that each discrete component works. This means participants must learn to communicate effectively while adapting both their equipment and their methods to unpredictable conditions all while competing under intense pressure.

Several mechanical engineering students participate in Solar Boat competition as part of their senior design capstone experience. Arkansas students collaborated with Ranger Boats this year to develop their race boat. The students designed the boat and Ranger fabricated it.

During the five-day event, technical inspections will take place the first day, and the remainder of the time will be occupied by five on-the-water competitive events. Points are earned in seven categories starting with technical reports that are submitted at the beginning of May. On-site competitions include visual displays and workmanship. On-the-water events begin with a sprint and a maneuverability qualifier. This is followed by an event called the Solar Slalom, which is a combination of speed and maneuverability. The final days are spent in the sprint and endurance events.

On Wednesday, June 21, Jim Stanway, who has recently assumed responsibility for Wal-Mart's global greenhouse gas-reduction initiative, will speak to participants and volunteers in Giffels Auditorium to kick off the week of festivities.

The greenhouse gas reduction initiative involves business development activities aimed at profitable greenhouse-gas measures for customers and the supply chain. Stanway also serves on the board of Texas Retail Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wal-Mart that buys wholesale power for use at its stores and distribution centers. He has 16 years of energy industry experience including five years with a deregulated power marketing company, three years with a regulated investor-owned utility and the balance with Wal-Mart Stores managing energy in all 50 states.

For more information and a detailed schedule of events, visit the official Web site at http://www.solarsplash.com.