October 5, 2005 Source: University of Waterloo:
http://newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca/news.php?id=4603 Midnight Sun Solar Race Car Team receives certificate for the Guinness World Record WATERLOO, Ont. - The Midnight Sun Solar Race Car Team at the University of Waterloo received the official certificate this week ratifying the team for the Guinness World Record for the longest distance travelled by a solar-powered vehicle. The ratification has come almost a year after Midnight Sun VII crossed the finish line outside Carl Pollock Hall on the Waterloo campus, ending its 40-day tour across North America. "The team's record currently stands at 15,079 km," said Cameron Bruce, current project manager of the Midnight Sun team. "There was a lot effort put into this car from students who helped design, build, maintain and accompany the car, as well as those who cheered us on from home, along with our sponsors and supporters. "This certificate is a great achievement both for our team and the university and helps demonstrate the true potential of Waterloo students." The tour began on Aug. 7, 2004 when an upgraded version of MSVII and support vehicles set off from the UW campus travelling along Western Canada to Vancouver, B.C., then following along the western seaboard of the United States to Blythe, Calif., where it broke Queen's University's previously held record. The car continued along the southern states to Tennessee where it shifted to a north-eastern course, heading to cross the border into New Brunswick and finally turning around to drive home. The tour saw the car braving the sun, high and low temperatures, torrential downpours, vast stretches of desert, mountains, plains and a slew of various technical issues, all of which the team was able to resolve. Despite these hardships, the tour was an incredible journey for everyone involved as it gave them an opportunity to travel across North America interacting with the thousands of people that came to see the car. Even more incredible was the immense support that the team welcomed from community members, who graciously donated smiles and homes. "No matter where we were, we were welcomed like familiar friends," said Daniel Yum, past project manager of the team. Bruce added: "This record does a lot in terms of promoting the real potential that lies in the usage of alternate power sources. We have created a car that can circle the continent but this is just the beginning. There is so much more that can be done to create greener ways of living and our mandate is create awareness of this fact." Looking ahead, Bruce said: "As we begin working on our next generation car, Midnight Sun IX, we hope to take from MSVII's achievement and MSVIII's recent success at the North American Solar Challenge 2005, and build a car that exceeds all expectations." For more on the team, visit midsun.uwaterloo.ca. Information on the tour is available at midsun.uwaterloo.ca/tour/. If you are interested in sponsoring MSIX or joining the team, please contact Cameron Bruce (Cameron.bruce at midnightsun.uwaterloo.ca) Contact:
Jessica Whitney, Business Manager,Midnight Sun Solar Race Car Team,
(519) 888-4567, ext. 2978
John Morris, UW Media Relations, (519) 888-4435; jmorris@uwaterloo.ca
Release no. 220-- October 5, 2005
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