The concrete system is responsible for the design and fabrication of the toboggan’s running surface, which is made entirely of concrete. This includes the concrete mix, ski shapes and ski attachments. The goal of the system is to provide a smooth, low friction running surface and a strong mix design that will withstand the unique conditions the concrete is subjected to during race day.
The superstructure system designs and fabricates an enclosure for the toboggan’s 5 riders, and attachment points for the braking, steering, and concrete systems. This superstructure must be designed to safely support the toboggan and its riders in the event of a crash, and therefore must go through intensive simulations and testing. Typically, our team is the only one at competition to use a fully carbon fibre shell, which provides high strength and safety, while still being lightweight and innovative. Without the generous support of our sponsors, a composite superstructure would not be possible for our team.
The braking system is responsible for the design, machining and assembly of the toboggan’s brakes. The goal of the system is to decelerate the toboggan as quickly and efficiently as possible while meeting the competition’s strict safety standards.
The steering system is responsible for the design, machining and assembly of the toboggan’s steering, which must be used in the slalom run at the competition. The steering system must be safe, easy to use, and must integrate well with all other systems on the toboggan.
The manufacturing lead acts as a project manager for all other design leads. They ensure all designs are created using Design for Manufacturing techniques, and can be easily fabricated. They also oversee the machining, carbon fibre layups, and toboggan assembly to ensure all systems can be integrated into the final toboggan smoothly.
The spirit captain is responsible for encouraging member involvement in the team, selecting the team’s theme, and running spirit events at competition. They recruit new general members, organize team socials, and develop creative ways to foster spirit within the team.
The Technical Exhibition (Tech Ex) is a day-long event at competition where teams get to showcase their designs and themes at a booth built and decorated by the team. The Tech Ex system includes the design and building of the display, games and prizes to draw other competitors to the booth, and the shipping crate for the toboggan, which is typically made of the Tech Ex walls.
The marketing system includes all things outreach and social media. The marketing team creates graphics to promote team events, runs social media campaigns, and ensures all our sponsors and general members can see what the team has to offer.
The sponsorship system is responsible for managing external relations and business development by acting as a point of contact between corporate sponsors and the team. They ensure we have enough monetary and in-kind sponsorship to build the toboggan and go to competition.
At competition, all 30 members of the team must have a costume which showcases the chosen theme. The costumes system is responsible for designing, sourcing materials and making all required costumes. They also design and acquire team merchandise and patches.
