ATHENS: 11th June '04 --  A week after the end of the Phaeton Solar Car Race,a special event for the 2004 Athens Olympics, Salesians and staff from the Salesian Polytechnic School in Tokyo remain jubilant at the experience of constructing and running SALESIO, their new solar car, for the 800 kilometre route in Greece.

 

Working until the wee hours of the morning for many days, they were able to put together a new car and be part of the 19 teams who were able to participate in the special event.  They were in sixth place during the Circuit Rally Race in the first two days, and finished ninth out of the 15 teams that made it to the finish line.

 

It was the first time that Greece has hosted a solar car race, and the roads proved hard - and sometimes dangerous - for the drivers who were running through mountains, down expressways and along village roads.  Malfunctions and punctured tyres were the usual daily tests for all the teams, which gave them the opportunity to share their tools, supplies and technical resources.

 

The aim of each team was to reach the finish line.  But even if they were ranked at the end, they were more than satisfied to have assisted each other.  Isn't that what the Olympics are for?