Hank Schouten was my hostfather about ten years ago, when I participated at an exchange program with New Zealand (Hutt Valley High School) and Germany. Unfortunately, I only have his postal address. Since I could find your emeil adresss in the internet, I was wondering if you could be so kind and send me the email adress of the author Hank Schouten. That would be just wonderful.

Thank you for your help.

Yours sincerely

Cordula von Hinüber.

Chair Piers Lawrence says the time is right to start planning for an attempt on the Adelaide-to-Sydney contest, a natural progression from last year's campaign.

"We did well in the World Solar Challenge last November, 2001, for the two hours daily we had available as students. We spent less than 18 months - a German team had the same time over two years.

"Yet we got success where it mattered, when we inspired solar awareness among New Zealanders." The team's spirit was highlighted by TVNZ's Assignment and teenage newspaper Tearaway, Mr Lawrence, a 2001 veteran, says.

"Our SunRace preparation starts now."

The 2,300 kilometre SunRace contest will put Hutt High Solar's next entry against a wider field of both solar- and electric-powered cars. The race, itself award-winning, reaches 200 million television viewers.

Mr Lawrence says SunRace's profile, with a wider criteria for entries, will further the team's "priceless" goal of promoting sustainable energy use to all New Zealanders. Longer term, the team believes the Hutt High Solar initiative is a model for further 'knowledge economy' ideas. Meanwhile, the team is looking for support from current and prospective sponsors to continue the invaluable campaign to the New Zealand public.

"The goal of promoting sustainable energy use is priceless. Our 2001 sponsors considered the $130,000 campaign worth everything invested, considering what it inspired."

How readily are Kiwis joining the knowledge wave? Are we on the right track? Find out more when Assignment meets some Kiwis who are making the jump (Thursday December 13 at 8.30pm on TV ONE).

New Zealand is not just about mutton and butter. But will we ever have an equivalent to Finland's Nokia? Assignment goes in search.

Rod Vaughan investigates the state of Kiwi entrepreneurship. How well do we pick winners and are we doing enough to fund them early enough to make a difference?

Vaughan followed a very successful group of young Kiwis who are well into the spirit of going overseas with their smart ideas. He travelled to Australia with a team of boys from Hutt Valley High School as they competed in the World Solar Challenge - a race from Darwin to Adelaide which aims to motivate research and development into harnessing solar energy for future transport needs.

We'll also meet other successful Kiwis whose next step is to make it big overseas, including Peri Drysdale, who made a name for herself when President Clinton donned her clothing at an APEC conference in New Zealand, and the man behind the infamous 'Barfly', who has now patented the motorised toilet.

[13/12/01]

After a couple of days work I have finally managed to update the teams website.

Full coverage of the teams endeavours racing the car in Australia are now available at www.solarcar.org.nz There's still a couple more pages in the works so be sure to check it again over the next week or two.

I hope to be able to arrange a public display of the car somewhere before Christmas, and will let you know what happens there. Any ideas? email me: pjackson@paradise.net.nz The team returns tonight at 6 on the Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules flight from Adelaide. Unfortunately the terminal is strictly off limits to members of the public due to it being placed in quarantine.

Thanks New Zealand for all the messages of support!

Regards
Richard Jackson

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Check out www.solarcar.org.nz for updated news on the teams 2001 World Solar
Challenge bid!

I must firstly apologise for the lack of updates from the team whilst we have been in Australia. The logistics of sending email were harder than imagined.

The race results are on www.wsc.org.au and should soon be on the team website.

As you have probably heard from the press in New Zealand or the official event site, the Hutt Valley High School Solar Car Team was forced to withdrawal from the World Solar Challenge.

Whilst we were transporting the solarcar on a trailer from the bottom of the Hayes Creek Hill to the next open control stop on the race route (as per newly developed race rules involving trailering), an accident occurred involving the main support of the cars solar array. Unforseen stress was placed on the attachment as it travelled at 100kmph on the trailer. This, combined with slowing down in the town of Katherine, broke the main array support. This resulted in the severing of wires on the inside of the pole, which in turn short circuited the cars 12 volt electrical system. The teams problems were compounded by the short circuit creating an electrical fire at the broken wing attachment and another attachment. The fire, although contained, caused further damage to the cars carbon fibre solar array. It was rapidly extinguished. These were the main factors involved this incident although many other factors also played a roll in damaging the array.

The team initially deemed the problems repairable and proceeded to the Dunmarra media/control stop.

Part way there the call was made to remove the array from the car to prevent further damage being sustained during transit. The array and its attachments were removed from the car and placed on the secondary support vehicle. The solarcar remained on the trailer.

Analysis of the situation at the Dunmarra control stop that night led the team to the conclusion that the array could not be reattached to the car in a way which would defiantly maintain the stability of the car during the remainder of the race. The main concern was that the car was to run only 2-5 feet from road trains travelling in the opposite direction at over 120kmph. Road testing in Australia prior to the race showed only a small amount of instability when passing road trains as did the leg of racing to Hayes Creek. However the team had no way of testing the stability once it had been repaired without just running it past road trains on the open highway. This was therefore not deemed an option as it risked the health and safety of the driver.

The team decided to attempt to run the car the remainder of the race off its battery reserves, with the intention of substituting new batteries in when the old batteries ran out. The stability of the car when run in this way had been tested in New Zealand prior to the teams departure. Unfortunately the team was unable to arrange insurance for the car during the period needed and thus the call was made that the car could not be run in this way due to the liability in case of an accident.

The team has since proceeded south to complete the journey to Adelaide with the support vehicles, and to complete the formalities of the race over the next few days.

Most teams now have their cars on display at Torrens Parade Ground in central Adelaide, with their technical team members explaining how their cars work and what gives them their competitive edges.

The team is secluded to return on December 2nd aboard a RNZAF Hercules. Further information on this flight can be obtained from the RNZAF.

The entire team wishes to thank our sponsors and supporters.

Some members of the team have already begun planning a New Zealand Solar Car Team for the 2003 or 2005 race, and others are investigating the possibly of a Solar Cycle entry into the 2003 race. So keep your eyes pealed for updates on these as well as more from New Zealand's first secondary school solar car team- the HUTT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SOLAR CAR TEAM.

Thank you New Zealand!

Richard Jackson

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Ps. Photos of the teams epic adventure will be posted on the teams website over the next week or two. www.solarcar.org.nz TV1's Assignment covered the race expects to screen the footage on Dec 13.

Thanks to our sponsors: Bill Munro Black Rally Sport Car Parts And Accessories Ltd Cloud 9 Limited Colan Fabrics Dymocks Booksellers Wellington EECA- Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Exide Technologies E M Design Ian McRae Impact Manufacturing Ltd International Dynamometers NZ Ltd John Bonallack John Wells J P Construction Martin Signs Mokoia Lodge Negawatt Resources Ltd Neville Baxter New World Lower Hutt Normandale Residents Association Nuplex Industries Otter Gold Australia Petelite Ltd Peter Thompson Pins Cycles Wellington Rohan F Cooper Barristers and Solicitors Royal New Zealand Air Force Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club - Sailing Academy Shell New Zealand Limited Southward Engineering Co Ltd Specialist Surfaces Ltd Steven Smart Stewart Lister Style Joinery The Body Shop Vega Industries Ltd Westfield Shoppingtown Queensgate

The Hutt Valley High School solar car ran into serious electrical and mechanical problems several hundred kilometres after the 3010km Darwin-to-Adelaide race started on Sunday, and the team decided to pull out yesterday.

Team manager Geraldine Smart, speaking from the second checkpoint in Dunmarra, said the team were "hugely disappointed" and worried they had let New Zealand down.

The first two days of the race had proved too much for the car, Ms Smart, a Hutt Valley High teacher, said. One of the supports on the solar panel wings had broken, and an electrical short had caused a small fire in the car.

But the team had "learned heaps" from entering. "I know that some of this team will be back next time".

Ms Smart said the students, the only school team from outside Australia to enter, would be at the finish early next week. "There's no point in turning around and going back to Darwin. We want to give them the experience (of the race)."

The Hutt Valley team, on a $140,000 budget, was competing against the multimillion-dollar budgets of several big corporate entries.

Race spokeswoman Megan Wilks said it was "such a fantastic achievement" for the team to get to the start line.

The leading car in the World Solar Challenge 2001 was expected to cross the finish line in Adelaide on Friday or Saturday.

The Dominion, 21 November 2001

All having a good time here in oz. WE JUST PASSED scrutineering!!! Nothing was wrong with the car. We also got clearance to drive on a highway for testing all day Friday. The team is most pleased with this.

We are at Simon Hendersons at the moment having a barbeque- ex-pat-kiwi who has offered much welcomed logistical support. Assignment is pretty happy at the moment. I think they are having fun too. An american camera crew took intrest in our car today and so we gave them a tour of the car- they love the rally seat. We are the only ones with a car of the style we have and are attracting attention for being different!!

We're doing averagly for school entries at the moment- 45kph average speed around the Hidden Valley Motorsport Complex today. Thats the one on the playstation game grand trismo which the whole team thought that was pretty awesome!

Mike Brown is here with us- he's pretty cool and taking lots of photos of the car. A New Caledonian press team interviewed us too- car uniqueness again.

The school we are at is Kormilda College in Darwin- 30 mins from the main town.

It's 30 degrees plus in Darwin all day- and most of the night. It rains everyday and drys out within half an hour. We can hang our washing on the louvre windows to dry it each day- swims all the time help with the heat. The school has a pool we couldn't do without.

The Auzzies love to hassle us about sheep over here- even police officers dig in!!

Thats all for now- we will keep you updated as and when we can.

Regards

Richard Jackson Chairman Hutt High Solar inc.

SET TO FLY: Hutt Valley High School solar car challenge team members about to load their car aboard an Air Force Hercules at Wellington Airport yesterday. From left are Simon Jackson, Jonathan Vaughan, Jess Taigel, Chris Jellicoe, Stephen Heatherington, Hanna Wright, Richard Jackson and Kieran Quayle. JOHN NICHOLSON/The Evening Post

By HANK SCHOUTEN, HUTT REPORTER Hutt Valley High School's solar car challenge took off from Wellington yesterday, heading off for the Darwin start of their 3100km race across the heart of Australia.

The 17-strong team and its sleek white machine were loaded aboard an Air Force Hercules at Wellington Airport for the 12-hour flight to Australia's tropical far north.

Excited team members literally ran their vehicle on to the tarmac before hoisting it aboard the military transport aircraft which was also carrying a cargo of soldiers and equipment destined for East Timor.

Even the normally laid-back project leader, seventh form bursary student Richard Jackson, couldn't believe that his dream of getting to the start of the 3100km race was finally becoming a reality.

"I don't think it's sunk in yet," said Richard, whose team of enthusiastic mates have spent over a year designing, building and refining their car and pulling in all the support they've needed for the $130,000 project.

The car has so far run under solar power for just 70km, reaching a maximum speed of 70km/h, but he was confident they would get it to the finish line in Adelaide within 10 days of the race start on Sunday.

"If we can get to the finish and it's in one piece then we'll have done really well," said Richard.

The car's design and construction has been far from straight forward.

Its electric motor and wiring had to be replaced after it repeatedly burnt out and the suspension had to be reconfigured twice. The car still isn't quite complete - it still needs another coat of paint when it gets to Darwin.

Teacher Geraldine Smart, who is accompanying the team and supervising exams for some of the students along the way, said getting the car to Darwin was an amazing achievement. "It's a wonderful team effort, something I could never have dreamt of."