Rotkreuz,13.09.2017

Six engineers and a soapbox called Gripen Light

It has been repeatedly mentioned of late what innovative ideas are conceived in Rotkreuz. This one, thought up in a coffee break, is refreshingly simple. Six engineers from the Konplan company there decided to build a soapbox called Gripen Light, and take part in race with it.
 
The engineers, Marco Bürgisser, 32, Ivan Stocker, 29, (in the cockpit), Andy Tonazzi, 40, Urs Bruggisser, 31, and Marco Lichtsteiner, 31, (from left to right in the photograph, without Carmine Troiano, 36, who is also part of the team), only started to build their vehicle, named after the Gripen Swedish-built fighter jet (the acquisition of which by the Swiss air force was subject to much controversy), at the beginning of August, after having decided they would enter this Red Bull soapbox race, which actually took place on Sunday in Lausanne. The driver on the occasion, Ivan Stocker, who comes from Lucerne, was looking forward to hurtling down the 430-metre track with its many curves towards Lake Geneva. He explained how it was all very well padded, though he would be wearing a crash helmet, as stipulated by the organisers.
 
Unlike many of the other soapboxes, Gripen Light had only two wheels; it was hoped that this would help increase speed. The vehicle also weighed almost 80 kilogrammes, the maximum permitted. Prior to the race, the team was not actually sure how fast it could go; its only trial run taking place just before the race itself. It was actually the first time any of the team had taken part in such an event, though Bürgisser did make soapboxes in his youth, as Stocker added how he had tinkered with motorcycles in his time.
 
As can be seen in the photograph, the Gripen Light came in a smart silver livery, thanks to 250 metres of adhesive tape, and with a few optional extras such as water-squirt on the bonnet and a smoke-effect device at the rear (actually produced through dry ice), not forgetting a built-in amplifier to make sure Gripen Light sounded like a real fighter jet, imagination and flair in design also being considered by the judges.
 
Understandably the team were very excited as they set off for Lausanne, confident that, on the speed side, they stood a good chance. Much responsibility lay on driver Stocker’s shoulders, or rather his knees, as it was in a kneeling position from which he had to steer it. Nevertheless, he seemed quite relaxed about it all. “He who brakes is lost,” he said intrepidly.
 
Alas, the Gripen Light did not win, the speed prize going to a local team who had built a “rocket tortoise” which covered the 430 metres in just 42.90 seconds. The prize for the most imaginative entry went to a team who had made a soapbox like a fondue pot.
 
Nevertheless, the team from Rotkreuz surely had a lot of fun in competing, as did many others in watching.