Clafis Private Energy Solar Boat Team (T63) is the winner of the DONG Energy Solar Challenge 2014. The team won all the stages of this race and is the undisputed winner of this edition of the World Cup for Solar Powered Boats. 2016 is the sixth edition of the largest solar boat race in the world.
"We are really happy with our first place. It was a heavy battle and not always that easy. We wanted to win every stage and succeeded. Tonight we are going to drink a beer on it," according to a happy Gerard van der Schaar, skipper of the team. In the Challenge A and B the win goes to the Polish teams. Especially in the Challenge A the competition was thrilling. Between the number one and two were only two before the last part of the stage. Scigrip Solar Boat Team (A22) from Poland won the last part of the stage. "We are so happy. Poland is ruling the Challenge A and B, wauw!" tells Michal Wawrziniak, skipper of the team.
The organisation of the DONG Energy Solar Challenge is satisfied about the past week. "We have chosen for a new route and a different approach to the race this year. There are new elements added like the event Young Solar, the mass start, the sprint and the endurance. That worked out well. In 2016 the take off will be in Amsterdam and we're crossing the IJsselmeer. We continue to innovate," tells project director Albert Bosscha. The Wubbo Ockels Award was presented this year for the first time. Ockels is one of the promoters of the solar powered boats and passed away in June of this year. The prize is awarded to Bouwe de Boer, as a driver of sustainable initiatives and initiator of the race.
The team with the most bad luck was the SDOG Racing Team (T68). Their boat completely burned down just before the start of the race on Sunday. They were back in the race on Wednesday. Niek van Prooijen: "It was really nice to be able to finish in Leeuwarden. We received a lot of fun reactions when we were able to sail again with our old boat. Along the route the public was giving us the thumbs up or started clapping. That gives a kick. In two years we will be joining the race again and show everybody what were really able to. We have something to prove!"
General rankings
Top class
1. T63: CLAFIS Private Energy Solar Boat Team – 7.03.12
2. T66: Team Gowrings Energy – 10.39.20
3. T64: Midnight Sun KYAMK – 11.11.37
Challenge A
1. A22:Scigrip Solar Boat Team – 14.29.35
2. A19: NHL Solarboat Racing – 14.33.53
3. A20: Sinnergy Solar Team – 15.47.21
Challenge B
1. B46: GUT Solar – 15.24.34
2. B44: Solarteam ROCvA – 17.28.34
3. B45: HvA Solarteam – 17.40.48
V20
1. V84: DC Solar Team – 21.15.49
2. V83: Achterhoek – 21.29.50
3. V81: Koninklijke Marine Solar Team – 1.16.53.55
