23th March, 2017
The Girton Racing Team today did interviews with Nine News and Win News following success in Singapore at the Shell Eco Marathon. Media release is as follows:
Girton Racing Team Wins International Prize
The Girton Racing Team has returned from the Shell Eco Marathon in Singapore with a US$3,000 Technical Innovation Award, and has placed 9th overall after competing against 50 international teams also racing Energy Efficient Vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Headmaster at Girton Grammar School, Mr Matthew Maruff, said that the team’s effort was phenomenal, especially considering the strong field in which they were competing.
“This is the only school team in Australia even to be selected to compete in this prestigious international event.
“The Girton Racing Team was up against Universities and other specialist organisations for whom designing, testing and building these high-tech vehicles is their bread and butter.
“Our students design, build and train on their own time as part of a School Co-curricular subject, with the support of very enthusiastic teachers, parents and even past students.
“The students fundraised and secured sponsorship and a Federal Government grant in order to ship their vehicle to Singapore to compete.
“We offer 9 Technology subjects at Girton, which allows what is learnt in the classroom to be transferred into the field and this model of learning is clearly working,” Mr Maruff said.
The innovation award that the team has won is the only one of its kind given at the competition, with all 160 teams in the event vying for the prize. The prize was given for the high-tech thermo electric generator incorporated into the vehicle’s exhaust system, which allows heat from the exhaust to be captured and put back into the car’s battery.
“This incredible achievement is the result of hard work and commitment over the past twelve months, which is what is required to compete at this standard.
“The team hopes to make selection to compete again next year and hopes to enter two vehicles into the event, if they can attract sufficient financial support.
“We have some very talented students currently undertaking Technology subjects at the school, so the future is bright for the Girton Racing Team,” Mr Maruff said.
