The ARTS Network decided to award two prizes for Best Endeavour to teams competing in the TT Zero races this year. Kingston University in the UK won one of the awards and we plan to have a blog about that presentation in due course. The other prize was awarded to Team Buckeye Current at Ohio State University. Pete James, Chairman of the TPN took time out from a conference visit in the States to head over to Ohio University to present the award and also took the opportunity to brief the students and staff on his work in Electric Vehicles.
Here is a statement from the team:
"Buckeye Current feel honoured to receive the ARTS TPN Best Endeavour award from the prestigious Institution of Engineering and Technology (the IET). The award was given to the team for their ability to overcome adversity during race week and in commemoration of Buckeye Current's third-place finish at this year's Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) Zero event. It was a long and challenging journey to the Isle of Man that included several technical issues that tested the team leading up to the race. Recognition from the IET of our struggles and success validates the long hours and dedication that got us to the podium. We are honoured that Dr. Peter James, Chairman of the IET Automotive and Road Transport Systems Technical and Professional Network, travelled such a long distance to present the award and share his knowledge of electric vehicle technology.
Defending our TT Zero third-place victory against a field of professional race teams stands as the single greatest achievement for our organization thus far. Our team will always remember the moment official word arrived that we had edged out industry competitor Sarolea by a fraction of a second. The team exploded in what tech coordinator Polina Brodsky described as “just a mess of embraces and tears and laughs and love."
The Best Endeavour award will provide crucial support for our team to continue to innovate and succeed. Our budget pales in comparison to the budgets of the professionals we compete against, and generous support such as this allows us to turn our passion for electric motorcycles into world class innovations. The funds will fuel our next competition—The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June 2015—where we aim to surpass the all-time record for electric and gas bikes in a brutal ascent to the 14,110 foot (4267 meter) summit. We would like to once again thank the IET for its support, and we invite all who are interested in the future of electric motorsports to learn more about our team and its next challenge at our website: www.current.osu.edu ".