July 2011

P&G Surrey School Games motor sport final

Tuesday 12 of July saw the much awaited P&G Surrey School Games motor sport finals take place at Dunsfold park, home of top gear and with seven schools having spent months building cars for the days race it was set to be one even Mr Clarkson would be proud of.

The event was sponsored by Green Power who provided the six schools with equipment to design, build and engineer their very own formula 24 electric racing cars in preparation for the days race, It was clear from the moment the cars were revealed that pupils had put everything into making them as the testing area filled up with cars of all different shapes and sizes painted in the schools colours some even with personalised graphics on and as the proud creators of these spectacular vehicles waited anxiously for the gruelling test process to be undertaken on there pride and joy you could sense the tension building.

After all vehicles had passed the safety tests and had a few practice laps of the circuit to familiarise themselves with each twist and turn on the track it was almost time for the gruelling four hour race to begin, The first drivers of each team took there place in the cars and were wheeled in to position on the starting line as the chequered flag was waved cheers echoed around the circuit from ecstatic teachers, pupils and spectators as all of the cars had successfully started race. In the early stages of the race there was very little to separate the cars until one of the firm favourites Ash Manor School had to be rescued by the recovery vehicle following an unexpected technical difficulty in the first lap, As the Pupils began to work on locating and fixing the problem it was unclear if they would be able to continue with the race. Meanwhile Collingwood School were pulling away from the pack with their slick designed car made out of bed sheets and resin breezing through the first few laps. Esher High school, Fullbrook School and Woking High were all chasing Collingwood in the hope of snatching the gold medal position, with over 3 hours left to race it was impossible to pick a winner but Collingwood were looking comfortable in the lead until a shock return from Ash Manor school that was. Thirty agonising minuets after there car had been towed in to the pits due to a technical fault they were back leaving spectators and competitors in complete shock as young Jordan Richards took to the drivers seat in a bid to regain some much lost time and put his team back in the race, with a breath taking lightning speed he completed the lap setting a record time of 1.57.8 which would be the fastest timed lap of the entire four hour race. As the day progressed each school became incredibly seamless at pit stops and driver changes making the final thirty minuets crucial in the race for School Games gold.

The chequered flag had been waved and final laps were upon the competitors, a last ditch effort from Collingwood School saw them cement there place in the record books as the first ever P&G Surrey School Games motor sport champions. Collingwood were closely followed by the Fullbrook Bandits in second, Ash Manor in third after a truly amazing recovery, Woking High in fourth and last but by no means least Esher High in 5^th place.

A big congratulations to Collingwood school and a huge well done to all involved, the effort and time spent on creating the cars has been phenomenal and we look forward to seeing all the schools plus some new ones in next years final.

Also a huge well done and thank you to our special guests on the day Dorset House School who had entered races in there formula 24 electric car prior to the event and came down to show our schools the ropes, they breezed round the track and gave words of wisdom to our first time drivers.