Flying Dutchmen prevail: WSC Day 5
The final day of competition in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge saw the Dutch reclaim victory over arch-rivals JapanUPDATED: 6:00pm Melbourne time
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It's taken six long years, but the Dutch have finally wrestled the crown of world's fastest solar car from the Japanese defending champions.
Nuon Solar Team from Delft University in the Netherlands has won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, having crossed Australia north to south using only the sun's radiation to propel its low-slung 170kg carbon-fibre Nuna 7 race car at an average speed of just under 100km/h.
Having completed the epic 3000km journey in four and half days, eating basic provisions and camping by the side of road in tents wherever they stopped at 5:00pm sharp each evening, the Nuon team's orange-liveried students and scientists are well and truly in party mode. If you're in Adelaide, you might spot them.
Having conquered the world's most demanding solar endurance race, the Nuon crew was ecstatic, its victory made sweeter after having to play second fiddle to the Japanese Tokai University team in the last two international solar race meets in Australia, in 2009 and 2011.
According to provisional results, Nuna 7 crossed the finish line of the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Adelaide today at 10:03am Darwin time ahead of Tokai Challenger, after taking the lead during the first day's racing in Darwin, 3000km away from where they finished.
While Nuna 7 took 33.05 hours to cover 3021km at an average speed of 90.71km/h, it was a close fought battle until the last 50km, with Nuna 7 and the Tokai Challenger hitting the final checkpoint in Port Augusta just minutes apart. But as clouds rolled in and rain came down, it became clear the Japanese team would not be able to close the gap.
But there was more drama when Team Tokai was forced to stop and recharge, before travelling slowly into the final check point at Angle Vale at 1:22pm Darwin time in a time of 36.37 hours with an average speed of 82.43km/h.
With insufficient solar power to travel at a safe speed in traffic, Team Tokai was unable to proceed to the official finish line in Adelaide. The question is now whether Team Twente from the Netherlands can reach the finish of timing and continue on to Hindmarsh Square.
Stanford from the US is currently in fourth, ahead of Belgium’s Punch Powertrain and Solar Energy Racers, who are now south of Port Augusta.
Australia’s Team Arrow lies seventh and is expected to cross the finish line around midday tomorrow, while Onda Solare from Italy and Blue Sky Solar from Canada are also in top 10 positions and still proceeding on solar power.
Closing the gap on the Challengers are the Cruiser Class contenders that left Coober Pedy this morning. Australia’s UNSW Sunswift solar sports car, eVe, is now just 50km behind Team Arrow, followed by the Hochschule Bochum team from Germany and Team Eindhoven from the Netherlands. All Cruisers are expected into Adelaide tomorrow, before judging occurs over the weekend.
The Aurora team from Australia continues to dominate the Adventure Class, closing in on many Challenger solar cars. The stage is set for more dramas tomorrow on the final leg to Adelaide.
Stay tuned for more results.
World Solar Challenge 2013
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