Last year’s event saw a true ‘Energy Breakthrough,’ when Girton Grammar School’s ‘Xception’ was the first team to take Line Honours in the 24 hour trial in a vehicle WITHOUT pedals. But, can they back that up? And what about the other class winners in Holy Trinity, Bendigo Senior and Overnewton? Let’s preview the field in this most difficult of challenges: the Energy Efficient Vehicles.

Hybrid Section 1

This section has pedal plus either Electric or Petrol. In the Mixed section (Class B/C) there are only two runners both from the same school, so the evergreen Overnewton Anglican Community College are certain to finish in spots one and two – but which reign supreme? We always love an interschool rivalry!

In the Hybrid 1 Open class – the competition is much deeper: with Ballarat Christian College, Ballarat Grammar, Bendigo Senior SC, Chairo Christian School, Damascus College, Rode RAGE and Trinity Grammar all lining up. We welcome back Rode RAGE (pictured below) after a year off, noting that their team took Line Honours for the entire field back in 2015.

All are seasoned campaigners and this is the class to watch as teams try different fuel strategies: ‘fast-as-we-can-till-our-fuel-is-gone’ OR ‘slow-and-steady’.

Hybrid Section 1

This section has pedal plus either Electric or Petrol. In the Mixed section (Class B/C) there are only two runners both from the same school, so the evergreen Overnewton Anglican Community College are certain to finish in spots one and two – but which reign supreme? We always love an interschool rivalry!

In the Hybrid 1 Open class – the competition is much deeper: with Ballarat Christian College, Ballarat Grammar, Bendigo Senior SC, Chairo Christian School, Damascus College, Rode RAGE and Trinity Grammar all lining up. We welcome back Rode RAGE after a year off, noting that their team took Line Honours for the entire field back in 2016.

All are seasoned campaigners and this is the class to watch as teams try different fuel strategies: ‘fast-as-we-can-till-our-fuel-is-gone’ OR ‘slow-and-steady’.

Hybrid Section 2

Think of this category like a Prius or a Toyota Camry hybrid – petrol and electric working together in harmony. That also means there’s twice as much tech to ‘go wrong’! This is where Chairo Christian School and Overnewton will (hopefully) enjoy a good arm-wrestle.

Electric Only

The aforementioned Girton Grammar School’s Xception was the class of the field and they’re back with a new, slick black paint job (via Insta – pictured below). Keep an eye out for them on track and they were the only team to get close to tripping the ‘speed traps’ during last year’s Trial. Who are they up against? There’s the impressive Holmesglen (pictured above), led by icon of the sport, Don Elliot (read more about Don here); and Ballarat Christian College.

A late-late switch to this class is Damascus. Less than a week before the event, their team were out mountain bike riding on a school camp. A huge pile-up ensured and ALL BAR ONE of their team members ended up in the hospital with serious injuries! A new set of students were drafted in and a switch was made from pedal power to electric power. Wow! Good luck Damascus!!