What in the World Happened?
-by Steven Emery
Take a generous portion of adventure, mix in some "garage engineering" and
creative artistic license, then stir vigorously amongst enthusiastic fans, and
you have a recipe for the most "kaptivating" form of racing: Kinetic Sculpture
Racing. Fascinating to watch, Kinetic Sculptures are functional works of
engineering art. Their designs can vary from simple one-person contraptions, to
high tech, multi-pilot marvels with lengths of over seventy-five feet! After the
creators of these "kineticly inspired" dream machines spend weeks, days, and
months designing and building their sculptures, they face the challenge of
completing a race course consisting of many terrain types. These types of
terrain can be as easy as a paved road, or as messy as a sticky quagmire of mud.
Sometimes the terrain becomes as dangerous as a choppy bay or a swift flowing
river.
The origins of this colorful contest of human and machine dates back to Mother's
Day 1969 in the quaint Victorian town of Ferndale, California. Before that first
race, a local artist named Hobart Brown made a few artistic improvements to his
son Justin's tri-cycle. After completion, Hobart displayed the newly created "pentacycle"
in front of his art gallery. A nearby shop owner named Jack Mays created his own
"kinetic art sculpture" and challenged Hobart to a race down Main street. As
word caught on, other area artists joined in the race. Soon there were a dozen
human powered art sculptures entered to race down Main street that first time.
It is noted that neither Hobart nor Jack won that first race. As the vehicles
evolved, the more challenging elements of water and mud were introduced to the
race course. In the interest of economy and self-sufficiency, the requirement to
carry everything needed to negotiate a multi-terrain environment was deemed
necessary.
A "kineticnaut" (or kinetic pilot) had to be prepared for many hazards or
breakdowns. Mastering the course without assistance is paramount to the
philosophy of Kinetic Sculpture Racing.
Later, in 1983, the Greater Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race was held,
making the Port Townsend the second oldest race on the ever growing Kinetic
Racing circuit. The Port Townsend race still holds to the original values and
spirit of the first race held in Ferndale. Relying on grass roots support, the
Port Townsend race is one of the few remaining kinetic races that are not owned
by a corporation. It is an independent race, with the volunteer organizers
priding themselves on keeping the grass roots "kinetic spirit" alive. Today,
thirty years after the first race, Kinetic Sculpture Racing has become a
worldwide phenomenon. Races are now being held in not only Ferndale and Port
Townsend, but the kinetic sculpture-racing concept has spread to Boulder,
Colorado; Corvallis,
Oregon; Ventura, California; Baltimore, Maryland; and Portland, Oregon. The
kinetic race has become an international event with the addition of the Poland
race and the Perth, Australia race. More races that are international are coming
in the future. Races are now being organized in England, Germany, South Africa,
and Japan. Kinetic sculpture racing has become a conduit for peaceful
international competition and lasting relationships.
What started out to be a friendly, creative home town race has now grown up to
be a philosophical, artistic, engineering movement, with a devoted following
worldwide. It has become an appealing visual attraction drawing international
media attention. The Kinetic Sculpture Race enjoys the reputation as a fun
spectator sport, entertaining fans from all corners of the globe. These "kineticnauts"
and their wacky "Kontraptions" have won the hearts, and imaginations of all
who witness this eccentric, eclectic pageantry of human powered machinery.