Concrete Canoe Going to Nationals
April 25, 2005

After only five years of participation in the American Society of Civil Engineers Great Lakes Regional Conference, the UE student chapter of ASCE qualified for the national concrete canoe competition this weekend.

The competition will be in Clemson, SC, June 25-27 – sure to be a much warmer and more enjoyable event than this weekend’s frigid weather made the regional competition! Led by senior Julie Elpers, the Aces Concrete Canoe raced their 21-foot-long, 177 pound canoe, “Lembus Durus,” in Chicago, battling not only nine other schools but also the near-freezing temperatures, rain and strong winds. The UE team came in second overall and will join the first-place University of Wisconsin-Madison for the trip to the nationals. UE beat Purdue University, University of Illinois-Ubrana-Champaign, University of Illinois-Chicago, Milwaukee School of Engineering, University of Southern Indiana, Bradley University, University of Notre Dame and Tri-State University.

The paddling team of Brian Meunier, Nick Waninger, Kerry Hall, Blair Bozoarth, Amy Lochmondy, Amanda Ranck, Jennifer Blankenship and Julie Elpers participated in events such as the 600M men’s and women’s endurance/slalom race and 200M spring races for two-man, two-woman and four-person coed teams. Because of the inclement weather, the final heats were cancelled and overall race standings were determined by the prelims.

The races counted only one-quarter of the final score, with the remaining tally determined by a design report, a five-minute oral presentation, and the workmanship of the actual canoe. Students started working on this year’s canoe last summer with goal-setting, research, development, testing, design, construction, fundraising and paddling practice.

Pictured above: The ASCE Concrete Canoe team with the Lembus Durus at the Regional Competition in Chicago.