For the first time ever, Fairfield Patrician Brothers’ College will not only take part in the annual UNSW SunSprint Model Solar Challenge – but will host half the competition.

SunSprint invites primary and secondary students from across NSW and ACT to build solar cars or boats using renewable energy sources and then race them.

“Students’ STEM – short for Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – knowledge will be integral in implementing parts that are designed to make their car/boat efficient and more effective,” Patrician Brothers’ Year 9 STEM class teacher, Joshua Bryers, said. He said SunSprint gives students the chance to explore renewable materials and develop their engineering skills, “wrapping up the principles of STEM quite well.”

The SunSprint competition usually takes place at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) but, due to COVID-19, Patrician Brothers’ and Holy Cross College Ryde are co-hosting it instead.

Patrician Brothers’ half will be held on Tuesday 27 October. Called MiniSprint, it will include a solar boat competition. UNSW will supply Patrician Brothers with a 20-metre track and a boat pond on the day. Holy Cross will host races on 28 and 29 November.

“We’re still waiting for confirmation but the competition should range from seven to 20 schools taking part,” Mr Bryers said, making reference to MiniSprint. “Students will get a sense of accomplishment and, of course, bragging rights against other schools if they perform well. But, ultimately, this task is all about learning.”

Patrician Brothers is entering teams from all year groups into the competition, with the majority coming from the Year 9 STEM class.

SunSprint

  • Raced on a 100 metre figure-eight track, the SunSprint race cars are built to the Australian-International Model Solar Challenge specifications
  • Cars are usually built by teams of up to four (Years 6 to 12) students and take up to six months to design and build

MiniSprint

  • Raced on a 20 metre straight track, these cars are built from kit materials, consisting of a solar module, motor, gears, wheels and corflute chassis
  • Cars can often be built in a day or two but it may take a week to refine the student’s design
  • Usually built and raced by an individual student
  • Participants are K-12 with categories for primary and secondary school

Solar Boats

  • Raced in a 10-metre pool, solar boats use a fishing line for steering
  • Boats are built to the Australian-International Model Solar Challenge specifications
  • Participants are K-12 with categories for primary and secondary school

Solar Pursuit

  • MiniSprint style cars chase each other around a single lane oval track until one of the cars catches up and touches the other
  • Participants are K-12 with categories for primary and secondary school