Thursday, January 21st 2010

By Lily Panamsky

This year, McMaster University is the host of the annual Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) from Jan. 27 to Jan. 30.

The GNCTR, the oldest engineering competition, originating in 1975, is quite a site to see—300-pound toboggans made entirely of concrete hurtling down a hill.

There will be 400 engineering students from 20 universities in Canada competing in the event this year, which will take place at Glen Eden Ski and Snowboard Centre in Milton, Ontario. Buses from McMaster to Glen Eden will be provided free of charge.

A viewing of the toboggans will take place on Friday Jan. 29 from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Hamilton Convention Centre, while the actual race will be on Saturday Jan. 30 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

McMaster has two teams participating—the El MACadors and the McMaster Outlaws.

GNCTR Director of Public Relations Stephen Quinlan explained, “It’s going to be pretty cool because the teams all have themes. [They are] usually pretty funny themes and they come up with costumes and cheers all kinds of stuff like that.”

“McMasters been involved with the competition for around 15 years and we’re definitely one of the most spirited groups out there…The McMaster team has consistently won the award for best spirit, also several technical awards year after year.”

The competition this year is run mostly by alumni and graduate engineering students, along with some current undergraduate students.

GNCTR is sponsored by a variety of organizations and companies. The platinum sponsor is the McMaster Engineering Society. Gold sponsors are Dufferin Construction, CIRCA, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, McMaster University Engineering, McMaster University Student Affairs, Jackson Square. Silver sponsors are Aecon, Stuart Olson, Hamilton Street Railway, and the MSU. The money from sponsors is going toward food, buses, booking the hill, and the award gala on the last day of the event.

This is the second time since 1975 that the competition is in Southern Ontario.

With files from Selma Al-Samarrai

Tags: engineers, glen eden, GNCTR, Great norhtern concrete toboggan race, McMaster, McMaster University, milton, race, toboggan