A team of recent Naval Academy graduates and midshipmen won the 11th International Submarine Races held June 27-July 1 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division in Bethesda, Md.
The team won first place for overall performance, which included a trophy and a $1,000 cash prize.
The midshipmen also placed first for speed in the two-person, non-propelled submarine category, clocking in at 6.1 knots, and the “Best Spirit of the Races” award, which goes to the team that displays the best support for the other teams and overall best spirit. The winner of this award is selected by the submarine teams themselves.
Twenty-nine teams with a record total of 34 submarines competed in the race this year. The international competition included teams from Canada, England, France, Greece, Oman and Venezuela.
According to the ISR web site, the mission of the competition is to inspire students of the various engineering disciplines and provide them the opportunity to use their theoretical knowledge in a practical application, while also encouraging advancements in subsea vehicle systems and increasing public awareness of the challenges inherent in exploring the ocean depths.
The biennial competition is sponsored by the Foundation for Undersea Research and Education and brings together teams representing high schools, colleges, universities, and private groups from around the world. The ISR has been in existence since 1989, and has been conducted at the U.S. Navy's test tank at Carderock since 1995.
“The purpose of the sub races is to provide an educational opportunity for aspiring young engineers,” said FURE president Nancy R. Hussey in a press release issued by the foundation prior to the race. “The sub race engineering design competition is an investment in the future of our young people, not only to help them compete in the global technology economy, but to provide a better trained and experienced resource pool of bright and industrious students to help the defense industry and the government fill future national needs.”
The event featured races that test the creative skills of young engineering students throughout the world. Teams, wearing scuba gear, operate their submarine designed vessels along an underwater 100-meter measured course in Carderock's model basin.
