Challenges for an organizer

The preparations for the third edition of the Frisian Solar Challenge are in full swing. We want more national and international competitors. An edgier competition in the TOPclass, more media exposure, more innovations and more safety for the teams. Quite a job I sighed to myself at the beginning of the year.

Well, we have done a lot so far. The rules and regulations have improved on some major issues. Our own organisation is running a tighter job and, very important, the first teams have applied. Now we have to work hard in getting the money to fit our ambitions. The ruling economic climate means that we have to offer our partners value for money. This is a major part of the work Nils Beers and me are doing at the moment.

It is great to see and to welcome the initiatives that have come from the first two editions of our race. Brazil organised and hosted it’s first race last month and there are similar plans in India and Malaysia. Not to forget the race that was held on the Lago Maggiore in Italy last summer, I was fortunate enough to visit it. After that visit I had the chance to see Hans Bloem, Wim Zwaaiman and Jennifer Bundle who work at the JRS energy institute in Ispra. This is the team that did all the solar panel testing in the C Class in Leeuwarden last year.

All this inspired me very much. I hope we in the future unite all these institutes, teams and initiatives in a sort of World Federation For Solar Boat Events. That would be really great.

Andries van Weperen
Event director FSC 2010