Did you miss the 2014 Bridge Builders Knox Grand Prix? We didn’t. We were trackside to check out the new course and to see how the teams are fairing as we start of term two of the school year.
A field of 50 human and hybrid powered teams took to the new short and twisting 700m track at the State Basketball Stadium in Wantirna South for the 2014 Knox Grand Prix. Riders were presented with mild-cool and windy weather conditions throughout the six hour race.
As the 10am start neared, the grid was covered in a sea of colour and excitement from support crews and riders and soon they were battling for position from the first corner to the last.
The results:
Junior Secondary
Starting with the youngest, in the Junior Secondary class it was Andromeda from St Margaret’s and Berwick Grammar School (SMSBGS) on 188 laps; ahead of team-mates Shooting Star on 169 laps. Third place only went to Red Rocket from Tooradin Primary School, on 162 laps. A great race by a strong group of 10 teams in the Junior secondary category.
Middle Secondary
The Middle Secondary class was taken out by Gremlins from the riders at Emerald District Education Centre (EDEC) on 191 laps, ahead of Grigio from St Joseph’s College on 172 laps and Cassiopeia from SMSBGS on 167 laps.
Senior Secondary
EDEC continued their success in the Senior Secondary class with their very consistent Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies winning the class on 221 laps and finishing an impressive fourth place overall. EDEC were ahead of Kenny from St Joseph’s College on 197 laps and the third placed Jaffa from St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School on 183 laps.
Open Secondary
The Open Secondary class was taken out by SMSBGS team Zeus on 232 laps. This was an impressive effort by the boys putting them in second place overall and only 7 laps behind the overall race leaders. Team HPR from Caufield Secondary College were second and inside the top 6 overall on 210 laps and finishing in third place was Lynx from SMSBGS on 206 laps.
Community class
In the Community class it was a close battle between EDEC’s somewhat cheekily named Favourites and Trisled’s sleek looking team Formula. The teams were tip to tail with less than three metres separating the pair throughout some stages of the race.
However, as the race wore on, it was Trisled’s Formula whoproved too strong and pulled away, taking out the win on 239 laps ahead of the Favourites on 231 laps. Third place in this class was claimed by their Trisled team-mates in team Tomohawk on 217 laps.
Open Girls
With only four entrants in the Open Girls category, it was the Ceto girls from SMSBGS taking out the win on 209 laps placing them inside the top ten overall in seventh. Taurus also from SMSBGS took out second place on 189 laps; with behind them in third place was Horton from Drouin Secondary College on 177 laps, and with only 7 laps separating them it was Something Else from Caufield Grammar School on 170 laps in fourth place.
Veteran class
With only two entrants it was a very close race in Veteran class with EDEC’s Pacemakers finishing in first place on 206 laps; finishing 8th place overall and one lap ahead of SMSBGS’s team Scorpius on 205 laps rounding up the top 10 overall.
Energy Efficient Vehicles and Hybrids
Special mention to single fuel source entrants Dory from Ballarat Christian College who finished on 155 laps taking out the Energy Efficient Vehicle category.
With three entrants entered in the hybrid category it was Pink Spark who finished on 180 laps; ahead of second place Bruce from Ballarat Christian College on 163 laps and third place getters Pink Lightning also from Mater Christi on 156 laps.
Onwards to 2015
The organisers from Bridge Builders are looking forward to next years race and building on the successful race this year with plans to extend the track and see more teams involved next year in 2015.
- View all the race results >
- View our photo gallery (on facebook) >
- View our 2014 Events Calendar >
- Visit the Bridge Builders website >
Top 10:
| Position | Team Name | School / Org | Class | Laps |
| 1 | Formula | TRISLED | Community | 239 |
| 2 | Zeus | SMS & BGS | Open | 232 |
| 3 | Favourites | EDEC | Community | 231 |
| 4 | Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies | EDEC | Senior | 221 |
| 5 | Tomohawk | TRISLED | Community | 217 |
| 6 | HPR | Caulfield GS | Open | 210 |
| 7 | Ceto | SMS & BGS | Female | 209 |
| 8 | PaceMakers | EDEC | Veteran | 206 |
| 9 | Lynx | SMS & BGS | Open | 206 |
| 10 | Scorpius | SMS & BGS | Veteran | 205 |
