Concrete Canoe Regatta 2024: Weimar Students Extend Invitation to Boat Launch
The inaugural concrete canoes of Weimar made their début at the regatta event in Heilbronn in 1994. Back then, the student teams from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar had not yet secured a spot on the winners’ podium, but their success has steadily grown over the past three decades. In 2024, a boat crafted from recycled concrete will head to the starting line in competition for the first time. There will be a public test run of the concrete watercraft at 1.30 pm on Wednesday, 5 June, on Schwanseebad Weimar.
Concrete is a versatile building material that is used in a wide range of applications, from furniture to canoes, making it one of the most popular construction materials throughout the world. Nevertheless, this wide-ranging material is facing growing criticism due to its rather poor ecological footprint. Under the slogan »KANUSAURUS – The dawn of a new age of concrete», a group of 32 students from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering aims to advocate for more sustainable use of this essential building material.
For the Concrete Canoe Regatta 2024, they are implementing a new process that reduces CO2 emissions generated during concrete production. »This year, we opted to use a recycled material, resulting in a 14.5 per cent reduction in cement content compared to the previous regatta«, explains Bachelor student Jasmin Janz. A recycled mix was created on the basis of an old concrete canoe: »It was crushed, the reinforcement was separated from the mortar, followed by sifting and pulverisation«, the aspiring construction manager continues.
Same competition, new material
The German cement and concrete industry hosts a Concrete Canoe Regatta every two years. A sporting event for students engaged in the study of concrete technology at vocational schools, technical colleges, universities and other institutions will be held in Brandenburg an der Havel from 14 to 15 June, 2024.
The challenge: Manufacture two lightweight and manoeuvrable boats made of concrete, in which two men’s and two women’s teams then complete, along with mixed-gender teams going to the starting line for the very first time. It’s all about speed, muscle power and, most importantly, the quality of the material: »Due to the finite nature of the resources used to make our canoe and the growing emphasis on sustainability, especially in the construction industry, we have chosen to incorporate recycled materials into our design this year«, says Dr.-Ing. Karsten Siewert, scientific employee at the F.A. Finger Institute for Building Materials Engineering, elaborating on the topic. Over the past few months, he has offered technical expertise and guidance to the student-led project.
Christening and test run on Schwanseebad
Several tests had to be conducted before the recycling mixture met the quality standards – but Siewert assures that the effort was worthwhile. Whether the boats pass the test under real-world conditions on the water will be revealed at the christening event on Weimar’s Schwanseebad. The regatta commences ten days later with the participation of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Prizes are given not just for exceptional athletic achievements but also for innovative boat design. The project thus represents a combination of technical skill, experimentation, design and esprit de corps.
»We are excited about the opportunity to have a great time, connect with other teams, share ideas and enjoy each other’s company in general. We are also hoping for good weather to enhance the experience. Above all, we are eager to demonstrate the progress we have made in recent months and, hopefully, we will achieve positive results«, says Jasmin Janz, summing up.
The christening ceremony for the concrete canoes
Wednesday, 5 June 2024
1.30 pm
Schwanseebad Weimar
Media representatives are highly encouraged to attend!
If you have any questions, please contact Dipl.-Ing. Gabi Seifert by telephone at +49 (0) 3643 584612 or by e-mail at gabi.seifert[at]uni-weimar.de.