It’s not every day you see a group of people in gravity-powered go-karts racing down a hill.
But once a year in Fredericton, that’s exactly what happens.
Emma Snow was one of those whizzing down MacKay Drive on Sunday in Fredericton. She is also the president of the organization behind the annual race, the Student Society of Mechanical Engineers at the University of New Brunswick.
“We’ve had a lot more organization this year, a lot more volunteers, a lot more spectators. It’s honestly just getting bigger and better,” she said.
The 47th coaster derby saw teams from UNB, the University of Prince Edward Island and the University of Maine build, design and engineer the karts.
Snow said a lot of work goes into making the day a reality, including booking the road, getting lots of backup tires, inviting the teams and securing sponsors.
But everything is worth it in the end, she said.
“It’s always fun to see the teams at the end of the day be proud of what they did in their kart.
“It … makes school not just school.… It’s kind of like a refreshment of why we’re doing this and why we’re in school — to do cool stuff like this and meet cool people.”
Gerry Bidgood, the vice chair of the derby committee, said organizers were up at 4 a.m. on race day to get everything in place.
He said the event brings friends and the whole UNB community together.
“It’s honestly a great way to show kind of what we do in class in mechanical engineering … and have a lot of fun while doing it.”
While UNB students had a short commute to the event, some participants travelled much farther with the hope of clinching the $500 prize and getting their names engraved on the trophy.
Nolan McCullough came from Orono, Maine, just outside of Bangor, to compete. He said the team last competed at the race in 2017, but came back for the 2023 competition “with a vengeance and a completely redesigned car.”
He said students have been working on redoing the kart over the last two years, spending many late nights in the engineering shop.
Along with an opportunity to represent the University of Maine, McCullough also said the race is a chance to meet new people and see their engineering designs.
“It’s a hell of a learning opportunity,” he said.
The University of Maine team came in a close second behind a UNB team of mechanical engineering students in their final year.
But McCullough said the day after the derby will feel like a win regardless.
“I think when I can send an email to the dean of engineering at the university and tell him that we performed well, had a great networking opportunity and [were] able to show off what we do at the University of Maine, I think that’s gonna be a really good feeling.
“And I think this is a great opportunity to encourage the University of Maine to come back and participate again and again.”
With files from Prapti Bamaniya
This story was originally published in CBC News on Oct. 16, 2023.
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