TEMECULA, CA—Solar-powered boats built and raced by teams from Diamond Bar High School and Pamela County Park in Duarte won first place today in the Veteran and Rookie divisions, respectively, of the fifth-annual Solar Cup™ competition sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California at Lake Skinner.

Teams from 41 high schools in five Southland counties competed in the three-day Solar Cup event, the culmination of a six-month education program in which high school students apply engineering and math skills, and learn more about water conservation and resource‑management.

 Teams are sponsored with grants of $3,000 by their local water agencies, municipalities, service clubs, and other supporters.  With more than 800 students participating, Solar Cup is the world’s largest solar boat competition.

 “Solar Cup, and its focus on renewable energy, resource-management and conservation, has taken on extra importance since this year has become the driest year ever in California,” said Timothy Brick, chairman of Metropolitan’s board of directors. 

In addition to building, equipping and racing their solar-powered boats, the Solar Cup program requires the students to write four technical reports, and to research and present a visual display on a water resource-related issue.

“Solar Cup is a great event and I enjoy attending every year,” said Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger.  “This year—the driest on record in California—I especially appreciate the water conservation and resource-management lessons it helps to get out to the students, their families and the public.”
Diamond Bar High School’s team took home the Solar Cup first-place traveling trophy for the second consecutive year—this year winning the new Veteran category.  Diamond Bar also won first place in Saturday’s 1.2-kilometer solar endurance race, and was judged to have the Best Veteran Technical Report.  Millikan High School of Long Beach won second place overall in the Veteran category.

In the Rookie category, the team from the after-school group of Duarte High School students at Pamela County Park won the first-place traveling trophy.  The team also won second place in the Rookie division for today’s 200-meter sprint races. 

Charter Oak High School of Covina won first place in the Veteran category in today’s 200-meter sprint races.  Diamond Bar took second place in the Veteran category for the sprint races Canyon Springs High School of Moreno Valley won Best Visual Display in the Veteran category; Lakeside High School of Lake Elsinore won Best Rookie Visual Display.

The Solar Cup team from Anaheim High School won the Bart Bezyack Spirit of Solar Cup Award for sportsmanship.  The Teamwork Award went to the team from Adolpho Camarillo High School in Camarillo.  Rancho Verde High School of Moreno Valley won Hottest-Looking Boat in the Veteran category.  Arlington High School of Riverside won Hottest-Looking Boat in the Rookie category and first-place in the Rookie category for today’s 200-meter sprint races.

Other second-place trophies went to Canyon Springs High School of Moreno Valley for Veteran Technical Report; Damien High School of La Verne for Rookie Technical Report; Jurupa Valley High School of Mira Loma for Veteran Solar Endurance; Paloma Valley High School of Menifee for Rookie Solar Endurance; and Claremont High School for Veteran Visual Display.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving 18 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage, and other resource-management programs.