Iditarod Arctic

Design and Building Guidelines
1. Sleds must "work" like a sled. No wheels
2. Sleds must be able to be attached securely to the paper clip hook on the string and cup. If the hook pulls out during the challenge, the points will be lost.

3. Sleds must be large enough to carry a "passenger" and one piece of equipment.

4. The passenger must be secured inside the sled. Passengers may not be taped or glued into sleds. A harness system is encouraged. The passenger needs to be harnessed in less than one minute.

The sleds which score the most points are pulled

Four challenges

• Yukon River Pull
• Pressure Ridge
• Open Lead
• Design Bonus

Yukon river Pull

• Your sled will have a smooth, icy surface
• You score points based on the least amount of weight
• that will take for gravity to pull you along.

Pressure Ridges
Here pressure from two ice flows colliding causes the ice to rise up just like rugged ramps. Once again, you score more points based on the least amount of gravity to pull you along...but don't get caught on a ridge.

Open Leads
Open leads are spaces between ice where water flows freely. Score the most points if your sled leaps across the open lead with your passenger and equipment safely in place.

Design Process

Make design and function work together

Iditarod Sled Test

Gravity

Friction/gravity/weight

Remove a stack of pennies

Scoring

• 3 stacks of pennies=20 pts
• 2 stacks of pennies=30 pts
• 1 stack of pennies=40 pts

Yukon River and Pressure Ridge

Open Lead

12 - 18 inch gap between tables

Drop and let it fall past edge of desk

Scoring

• All make it across=40 pts
• Sled and passenger make it across but fall out on other side=30 pts
• Sled crosses but passenger falls out and is left behind or falls into water
• =20 pts
• Both sled and passenger fall into the water = 10 pts