Teams from Riverside and Costa Mesa High Schools Take Top Spots at Metropolitan Water DistrictÔÇÖs 2018 Solar CupÔäó

More than 600 students from 38 Southland high schools competed in the
nationÔÇÖs largest solar-powered boat competition

LAKE SKINNER, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Metropolitan Water DistrictÔÇÖs 16th annual Solar CupÔäó
concluded today with boats built and raced by students from Riverside
Poly and Costa Mesa high schools claiming the top awards at the
competition, the largest student-based solar-powered boat race in the
nation.

The schools were among 38 teams competing from MetropolitanÔÇÖs
six-county, 5,200 square-mile service area, which includes Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. Solar
Cup is a year-long program in which students build, equip and race
16-foot, single-seat boats powered only by the sun.

The Solar Cup program allows students to apply their skills in math,
physics, engineering and communications, while learning about Southern
CaliforniaÔÇÖs water resources, resource management, conservation and
alternative energy development.

Riverside Poly High School, in Riverside, won first place in the
veteranÔÇÖs division, followed by CypressÔÇÖs Oxford Academy and Long
BeachÔÇÖs McBride High School in second and third place overall. Costa
Mesa High School took the top prize in the rookie division at the
three-day competition at MetropolitanÔÇÖs Lake Skinner in the Temecula
Valley of southwestern Riverside County.

ÔÇ£This weekend is the culmination of seven months of hard work for these
students. Over that time, theyÔÇÖve learned about engineering and
mechanics, about water resources and conservation, about teamwork,ÔÇØ said
Michael Camacho, who represents the Inland Empire Utilities Agency on
MetropolitanÔÇÖs Board of Directors. ÔÇ£And this weekend theyÔÇÖve learned how
to work under pressure, cope with challenges and celebrate victories.
All of these lessons will be immensely valuable in school and in life.
We congratulate all of them.ÔÇØ

On Friday, teams completed a qualifying event to ensure boats met rules
and were safe and seaworthy. Saturday, the teams attached
solar-collection panels to the boats for two, 90-minute, 1.6-kilometer
endurance races.

Today, the solar-collection panels were removed and boats used solar
energy stored in batteries to speed down a 200-meter stretch.

The 2018 Solar Cup program began last fall when MetropolitanÔÇÖs member
agencies announced their school sponsorships. Teams are sponsored by
their local water agencies and other organizations to equip the crafts
with solar panels, batteries, steering and related systems.

Metropolitan provided teams with identical kits of marine-grade plywood
to build the hull and an advisory team from Occidental College provided
technical support for the boatsÔÇÖ engineering and mechanics. While all
teams must build a new boat and equip it, returning teams were allowed
to use equipment from previous boats.

ÔÇ£I am so proud of all of these kids and I hope they are proud of
themselves. Some teams had faster boats than others, but all of them
took on a very difficult challenge and learned a lot of valuable
skills,ÔÇØ said Solar Cup coordinator Julie Kalbacher, a state-certified
teacher with MetropolitanÔÇÖs education programs. ÔÇ£And even though they
are out there competing, they all really help each other out and cheer
each other on.ÔÇØ

Following are the trophies and awards presented today. Complete Solar
Cup scores will be posted on MetropolitanÔÇÖs website, mwdh2o.com.
You can also follow @mwdh2o
on Twitter or become a fan on
Facebook to see the results from this weekendÔÇÖs races and stay
abreast of other agency and industry news. Photos and video of this
yearÔÇÖs event are available upon request and will be posted on the
website in the coming days.

Veteran Teams (33 teams), Cities, sponsoring
member/local agency:

First Place ÔÇô Riverside Poly High School, Riverside, Western
Municipal Water District and Riverside Public Utilities

Second Place ÔÇô Oxford Academy, Cypress, Municipal Water District
of Orange County and Golden State Water

Third Place ÔÇô McBride High School, Long Beach, Long Beach Water
Department

Hottest-Looking Boat ÔÇô Calabasas High School, Calabasas, Las
Virgines Municipal Water District

Rookie Division (5 teams)ÔÇöTeams and sponsoring
member/local agency:

First Place ÔÇô Costa Mesa High School, Costa Mesa, Municipal Water
District of Orange County and Mesa Water

Hottest-Looking Boat ÔÇô Upland High School, Upland, Inland Empire
Utilities Agency and City of Upland

Bart Bezyack Memorial Spirit of Solar Cup
Trophy Sportsmanship Award:

Del Lago Academy in Escondido (San Diego County Water Authority) for
providing other teams with parts and equipment even though they didnÔÇÖt
qualify

Teamwork Award:

Compton High School in Compton (City of Compton) for helping other teams
with equipment and advice

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a
state-established cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving
nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water
from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local
supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation,
recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

Contacts

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Rebecca
Kimitch
(213) 217-6450
(202) 821-5253, mobile
or
Bob
Muir
(213) 217-6930
(213) 324-5213, mobile