2008 Woodie Awards
From Arcata to Ferndale: Kinetic Scupture Grand Championship
Sara Wilmot
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: Features
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Kinetic Sculpture Racing was started 40 years ago in Ferndale, Calif., by Hobart Brown. The race used to consist of a three-block voyage down Main Street in Ferndale. Today the Kinetic Grand Championship is a 3-day, 41-mile journey.
When walking into the Kinetics Lab in Arcata, you would never guess that the 10-foot-long, brightly colored sculptures hanging from the ceilings and protruding from the walls were once attached to peddle-powered machines that have crossed the Samoa Dunes and sailed Humboldt Bay.
In addition to the Grand Championship this year, the race host Kinetic Universe will be holding for the first time the Kinetic Klassic, held on Mother's Day, May 11. This event brings back the original style of racing and is open to all ages. It will consist of a 3-block race, the same distance as the first Kinetic Sculpture Race held in 1969,and starts at Fireman's Park in Ferndale.
The Kinetic Klassic was started as a tribute to the creator of the sport, Hobart Brown, who passed away last November of pneumonia.
The Klassic is "open to anyone who can build anything that can move," Shaye Harty, president of Kinetic Universe, said.
Ken Beidleman of Eureka has been participating in the Grand Championship for 27 years. This year he and his team are building what they like to call "the Hippie-potamus."
The 'Hippie-potamus' is more than 15 feet long. The body is constructed of recycled aluminum roof flashing and the head has been constructed and carved out of foam. The pilots and peddlers sit inside the body of the 'hippie-potamus'. The pilot can see in front of them through the mouth and peddlers can see through transparent bubbles in the sides.
"We thought that a gray hippo would be boring," said team member Robert Thomane. "So we decided to paint it psychedelic. Like an old hippy bus."
To qualify for the event all vehicles must be able to travel on the streets, across the Samoa Dunes and float across Humboldt Bay.
The noon whistle in Arcata signifies the start of the race on May 24. Each vehicle must circle the Plaza three times before embarking on the race course. The race is broken up over the course of three days. Racers must cross each finish line to continue on the next day.
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