Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race Explained

Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race
Established:1974
Type:Engineering Student Competition
Location:Canada

The Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) is an annual event that challenges the creativity of engineering students. The competition originated in 1974 and was created by Dr. S. H. Simmonds, president of the Alberta chapter of the American Concrete Institute.[1] The first race was held in 1975 with participants from the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.[2] Since its beginning, GNCTR has grown to include universities and technical schools from across Canada with occasional entries from the United States and Europe.

Rules

The project involves designing and constructing a toboggan with a metal frame and a running surface made completely out of concrete and racing it down a steep snow-covered hill. The sled must weigh less than 350 pounds (158.8 kg), have a working braking system, and be fitted with a roll cage to protect its five passengers. Each competing team must complete a technical report summarizing the design, which is presented at a public technical exhibition.

Spirit

It is traditional for teams to choose a theme for their sled; they often wear appropriate costumes and incorporate elements of the design into their technical exhibit and sled aesthetics. Themes have become a major part of the competition, making up a large part of the spirit award, as well as the best uniforms award. Theme ideas are most often drawn from popular culture, retro references, or are based on the team's home university/college and its location.

Awards

Teams are judged for top speed, best run, most improved, braking, steering, and aesthetics. Each year, an award is also given for the best overall entry.

The current record holder for top speed in a successfully completed run at GNCTR is the University of Toronto, who set a speed of 73 km/h on Feb 1, 2020.

Year Overall Champion Race Champion Spirit Award
2024 McMaster University
2023 McMaster University
2022Not AwardedNot AwardedUniversity of Calgary
2021Not Awarded[3] Not Awarded[4] Ryerson University
2020 Concordia University
2019 University of Calgary
2018 University of British Columbia Okanagan
2017 University of Calgary
2016 University of Calgary
2015 University of Calgary
2014 University of Toronto
2013 McMaster University
2012 Queen's University
2011 McMaster University
2010 Queen's University
2009
2008
2007 University of Alberta
2006 University of Western Ontario
2005 McMaster University
2004 McMaster University
2003 McMaster University
2002 Carleton University
2001 McMaster University
2000 University of Manitoba
1999 University of Manitoba
1998 University of Manitoba
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993 University of Manitoba
1992
1991
1990
1989 University of Waterloo
1988
1987 University of Waterloo
1986 University of Waterloo
1985 University of Waterloo
1984 University of ManitobaUniversity of Waterloo
1981
1980
1979
1977
1975

Competition host

In the early years of the competition, the winning team was asked to host the subsequent competition. By the mid-1990s, this practice had changed to an alternating scheme between Western and Eastern Canadian schools; the dividing line is the Manitoba-Ontario border. The competition usually runs from Wednesday to Sunday, at the end of January or over the first weekend in February.

Year Host School City
2025Concordia UniversityMontreal
2024 St. John's
2023 Kelowna
2022Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of CalgaryVirtually
2021Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of CalgaryVirtually[5]
2020 Toronto
2019 Edmonton
2018 Waterloo
2017 Winnipeg
2016 Ottawa
2015 Kelowna
2014 London
2013 Vancouver
2012 Calgary
2011 Edmonton
2010 Hamilton
2009 Red Deer
2008 Sherbrooke
2007 Winnipeg
2006 Montreal
2005 Calgary
2004 Ottawa
2003 Edmonton
2002 Winnipeg
2001 Kingston
2000 Regina
1999 Waterloo
1998 Calgary
1997 Ottawa
1996 Winnipeg
1995 Montreal
1994 Edmonton
1993 Sherbrooke
1992 Montreal
1991 Montreal
1990 Calgary
1988University of British ColumbiaVancouver
1985University of ManitobaWinnipeg
1984University of AlbertaEdmonton
1982 Winnipeg
1981 Vancouver
1980 Edmonton
1978 Vancouver
1975 Red Deer

See also

References

  1. GNCTR Calgary http://gnctrcalgary.wordpress.com/gnctr-history/ Accessed May 8, 2012
  2. GNCTR '99 http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~gnctr99/origin.html Accessed May 8, 2012
  3. No Overall Champion awarded due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  4. No Race Champion awarded due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  5. Competition was held virtually as travel restrictions and gathering limitations due to the COVID-19 Pandemic prohibited the competition from taking place in person.

External links