FS Wins Regional Concrete Canoe Competition

For the third consecutive year, the Fairmont State American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Club has won the ASCE Regional Virginia's Conference Concrete Canoe Competition, which was held on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. This is the fifth consecutive year that Fairmont State has competed in the Regional ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition.

The Fairmont State team won first place in three of the four categories of the concrete canoe competition, which include a technical paper, oral presentation, the canoe and five canoe races. Fairmont State also received third place in the surveying competition.

Team captains Gregory Wilson and Tim Windland will lead their team and represent Fairmont State and the region at the invitation-only ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., June 15-17. Other participating ASCE team members include Mike Brown, Charles Moody, Nathan Miller, Kara Cunningham, Marcella Dantzler, Bethany Vandetta and Katie Mick.

Ten other regional schools participated in the regional competition: West Virginia University, WVU Institute of Technology, Bluefield State College, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, Old Dominion, Virginia Military Institute, Catholic University of America, George Washington University and the University of Pittsburgh.

The Fairmont State team's canoe, named "Gotta Have It," measures 21 feet long, 2 feet 7 inches wide and 1 foot deep; the longest canoe design by Fairmont State to date. The hull is, on average, 3/8 of an inch thick and the concrete density is 56.17 pcf, all resulting in a total weight of approximately 170 pounds. The reinforcement was comprised of epoxy coated carbon fiber with 1 inch by 1 inch openings.

The regional competition's theme, "All Day/All Night," inspired the design of the canoe. The innovative color scheme on the outside of the hull was made using one single mix design which faded from white to black. The inner hull was white with a concrete inlay of a clock that marked the hour that the canoe cast was completed.

"Our ASCE Student Club would like to thank all of their sponsors who assisted them with this year's effort," said Tia Richardson, the club's faculty adviser.

"These students have worked so hard this year and created a canoe that surpassed all of the schools in our region. I can't express enough how proud I am of all the hard work they have done. I know the community will get behind this winning team and help them rise to the challenge of nationals."

The Fairmont State ASCE Student Club will accept gifts through the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., to support their participation in the ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition in June. To make a gift, mail checks made payable to the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., to Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., ASCE Concrete Canoe, 1201 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554.

To make your gift by phone with a Visa or MasterCard, call Chris Morgan, Director of Foundation Operations and Finances at (304) 367-4788 or toll free at (866) 372-2586. All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

The ASCE Student Club will host its fourth annual summer technical conference on campus on June 1. The theme for this year's event is "That Was Then¦.This is Now." The conference will offer the professional community the opportunity to earn six to eight professional development hours. A variety of speakers are planned, and table displays are being sought. To arrange for a table display or to attend the conference, call Richardson at (304) 367-4629 or e-mail her at trichardson@fairmontstate.edu.

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 137,500 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE's vision is to position engineers as global leaders building a better quality of life.