On September 27, students participating in the ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) in Latin America were treated to an unexpected visit. Chilean presidential hopeful, Jose Piñera threw caution to the wind for the chance to ride Recicleta Beta, a recumbent bicycle designed and built by students from Mexico City’s Instituto Politécnico Nacional, much to the delight of onlookers as well as reporters from CNN Chile and various local news agencies who had gathered to capture this most unusual photo opportunity. Piñera may have been their lucky charm: later that day, the team placed second in the final event of the competition.

Now in its third year, the 2009 Human Powered Vehicle Challenge in Latin America brought together teams from Venezuela, Mexico and Chile in a lively competition that took place over the last weekend in September. Nearly 50 students gathered in the Chilean capital to take part in ASME’s marquee competition. Teams presented their designs to a multinational panel of judges, completed safety inspections and competed in speed and endurance races with both male and female riders. It was a unique opportunity to exercise their design and presentation skills, in addition to their athletic talents, team cooperation and sportsmanship.

ASME is now gearing up for the next two North American HPVCs, which will be hosted by Central Connecticut State University (East) and California State University, Northridge (West) in the spring of 2010. The 2010 competitions will introduce exciting and unprecedented features to the competition, including a new alternative to the sprint competition and modified vehicle classes. These changes, implemented in the 2010 competition rules, have been introduced in an effort to draw in more utilitarian designs, ones that can potentially be clean-energy transportation alternatives of the future.

Learn more about the Human Powered Vehicle Challenge and stay tuned to our website for updated information on the 2010 events!