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World Solar Car Challenge
Philippa O'Connell gets behind the wheel of The Sungroper, WA's very own entrant in the World Solar Car Challenge 2003. Powered by nothing more than the sun this 3,000 km journey which tests the strength and endurance of all involved is an adventure which aims to look for viable options for a smarter, safer and greener world.

Philippa O'Connell gets behind the wheel of The Sungroper, WA's very own entrant in the World Solar Car Challenge 2003. Powered by nothing more than the sun this 3,000 km journey which tests the strength and endurance of all involved is an adventure which aims to look for viable options for a smarter, safer and greener world.
The thought of driving from Darwin to Adelaide is a feat most of us would not even contemplate but there are a growing group of enthusiasts who partake in this very journey every year in cars powered by nothing more than the sun - all in the name of sport and science of course!
Known as the 'brain sport' of our time some of the worlds brightest young inventors arrive in Australia each year for the World Solar Car challenge. This 3,000km journey, which tests the strength and endurance of all involved, is an adventure which aims to look for viable options for a smarter, safer and greener world.
The event was created by Danish born adventurer Hans Thorstrup who was the first person to navigate the world in a 16 foot open boat. The first Solar Challenge was staged in 1987 with a field of 23 cars. Today the interest in the event is so great that almost 100 of the world's top universities are involved in solar car projects heightening this significant environmental issue. As the event has grown so too have technological advances. Since the very first race car speeds have increased by about 25 km per hour and are still on the rise!
This year there was only one West Australian entrant in the competition built a group of home grown solar car enthusiasts with the help of some very generous sponsors. The craft was built with a very small budget using many parts recycled from one of the teams earlier efforts the Sungroper 2001.
The Sungroper team will be travelling with a two-metre satellite dish in its bid to win an international competition for the world's remotest Internet cafe. Team leader Karen Kotze said the cafe will be open to anyone - providing they bring their own chair and mug.
This year the Sungroper and its team should duly be congratulated not only for their race achievements but also for their ingenious minds helping to make the future better for all of us. Make sure you look out for them in the 8th World Car Solar Challenge held in October next year.

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