It was an electrifying finish between our two 19-hour trial winners, Bendigo Senior Secondary College’s (BSSC) Earth Mover and Peninsula Human Power’s Hare & Forbes in the final minutes of the 2022 Energy Breakthrough. Despite representing different categories (EEV Single power source and HPV Open categories respectively), there wasn’t much between these two teams throughout the duration of the event. A particularly impressive feat for Hare & Forbes given the absence of an external power source!
By the time the checkered flag came down, 5 laps was all that separated our two leading teams.
Even a 5 and a half hour break on Saturday evening as a result of a pretty spicy weather system did little to hinder these 2 teams. Rest was not in their vocabulary.
Earth Mover was Bendigo Senior Secondary College’s first dabble in the world of electric vehicles, and a newly designed canopy certainly stood out on the track. Developed and produced over the past few years, the design was entirely student-led, and their bets certainly paid off, taking out not only the trial, but their category overall.
Hare & Forbes, representing students across the state as Peninsula Human Power and in only their second year at the Energy Breakthrough, also stood out on the track, albeit for different reasons. Their vehicle may have been a little less innovative in terms of student input, but their wow factor was in maintaining pace with electrically-driven Earth Mover, despite being powered by nothing but muscle power, grit and unending determination.
In the HPV category, Hare & Forbes took out the trial, with an impressive 505 laps, a league ahead of their next competition, Trump Trikes from South Australian powerhouse, Pembroke School. Fearless 2 from from Emerald Secondary College pedaled in for the 3rd podium place in the human powered vehicle trial.
EEV saw a Bendigo dominated podium finish, with BSSC’s Earth Mover taking out the trial without much competition, Girton Grammar’s XCEPTION following a fair distance behind to take out 2nd place on the trial podium but winners of the Display and Presentation. BSSC are going to have a pretty impressive awards wall on their arrival home, also taking out third place in the trial with their mixed electric and pedal power vehicle, Rat Carpet. A terrible name, but which came about after the team’s race carpet was rolled out a few weeks ago, and after 3 years holed up in a cupboard somewhere, surprised them with a dead rat.
This year also saw 2019 newcomers Holy Cross College make a return from Sydney, achieving 4th and 6th place in the trial with P.E.T.A and Enzo. Enzo wowing the judges in Display and Presentation where they took out the highest score.
For a full list of results, see the 2022 results page here.
Congratulations to all teams that participated over a weekend that saw yet another wild attempt by mother nature to thwart the events success. After three years away thanks to the ol’ spicy cough, we couldn’t have been happier to see the event go ahead as successfully as it did.
As always, and particularly this year, we are incredibly impressed with the resilience, determination and passion of all teams that allowed the event to end with such success.
The Energy Breakthrough team congratulates all teams that participated in the 2022 event, and we hope to see you back and better than ever in 2023. Drive safe, enjoy a well-deserved rest and keep up with all things Energy Breakthrough over the next 12 months at eb.org.au
If this year was your final year, we’d love to have you back next year to volunteer. Volunteers are the only way this event can continue year after year, so come share the love with us.
