Folk class and boat — two models, two results
Our first time in the folk power class — with a stronger build and a bigger target.
2026: officially 76 kg, unofficially ~146 kg with a judge — only this year. Since we aimed for a heavy load, the car used solid screws and metal instead of repeating the “everything barely holds” experience from 2024.
Qualification: 86 kg. Final: 76 kg and 1st place. After the event, we tried the judge-on-carts pull for the first time — around ~146 kg.
Built on the last day. Wires failed on competition morning, but the boat still took 3rd place.
In 2025 we pulled 20 kg in the non-standard class. In 2026 we challenged ourselves in the folk class.
In qualification, on the third attempt, we put on the full weight — 86 kg. The car pulled it.
In the final the weight was 76 kg, because part of the weight had to be used to level the setup. Officially: 76 kg and 1st place.
After the official competition, for the first time, we put a judge on carts with weights. The car pulled around ~146 kg; later, when traction started to fade, we stopped the attempt.
Traction context: Stanford's MicroTugs research shows how much a small puller's capability depends on grip. A 12 g robot using gecko-inspired directional adhesives could tow over 20 kg, which is why our attempt was not only about motor power, but also about the moment when the wheels started losing traction.
We were featured in an LTV report on the Solar Cup — students building solar-powered models. During filming the car ran on asphalt, with rubber wheels on the carts — much higher wheel friction than competition wheels on the track.
It pulled 85 kg — essentially the same weight as our official attempt, but with much higher wheel friction. Rubber tyres on asphalt create far more rolling resistance than competition wheels on the track, so it was harder to pull even though the scale showed “only” 85 kg.
The boat was built on the last day. On competition morning we tried to fix it and broke wires from the panel, so we could no longer connect our own panel. We did not give up: we borrowed panels from the organisers, added them, and still managed to compete.
Result: 3rd place. Qualification time: 10.9 seconds.
Without event organisers, supporters and sponsors, we would not have a place to compete and test our ideas.