FEB 6, 2025 | SPORTS | By Grant Loui
The annual Second Saturday (SS) Regatta competition took place on Saturday, Feb. 1.
The competition was to make a cardboard boat from the provided materials: cardboard, box cutters and a 60-yard roll of duct tape. The goal is to make it to the end of the 25-meter pool the quickest. But there were also two other awards for the most creative and most dramatic sinking, the Titanic Award. The teams were given four hours between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to create their boat. Some teams arrived at 11 a.m., while others waited until closer to 1 p.m. to begin construction.
The energy in the gymnasium was invigorating. Teams were laughing and joking. People complimented other teams. Organizers played the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack and seas shanties. The jovial energy slowly morphed into crunch time when the final 30 minutes rolled around.
Once their time was up, the teams put their materials down and lined up for inspection. They knew it was the moment they had prepared all afternoon. Participants lined up their boats and listened to the instructions one last time.
When the ships hit the water, the teams cheered. Nearly every boat made it across the pool, an impressive feat. However, there was an immediate frontrunner when the boats hit the water.
The boat that won the race was The Manarna. The ship was created by Evie Angevine ‘25, Isabel Cody ‘25, Hunter Burge ‘25 and Natalia Maahs ‘25. Maahs was the rower. This team of seniors had never participated in the SS Regatta event before.
They showed up at 1 p.m. and were “not too invested in the outcome,” according to Angevine. Their team was just there for fun, while others were very invested with meticulously planned boats. The Manarna’s plan was discussed on the walk to the gym, and once in the gym, they built their boat and underwent substantially fewer redesigns than other teams. The key, Burge said, was “going for simplicity and security.”
Sticking with the values of simplicity and security, Maahs says that “hand paddles worked well.” Other hand paddles were huge and had pertusions and grips made of tape, but theirs were much like oven mitts made from two pieces of cardboard. This helped them stay afloat and gave them the edge, as most teams lost their paddles.
After the race, teams laughed about the dramatic sinkings and race. Students congratulated each other, knowing how hard they all worked. Many teams tried to make a return voyage or just boat around the pool. Many team members jumped into the pool to collect cardboard and swim with their ships.
Like all second stars, the Second Saturday Regatta race showcased Colorado College’s incredible community and intramural sports program. Chris Starr, Director of Campus Recreation, and Andy Obringer, assistant director of the Adam F. Press Fitness Center, have worked hard to create a space where students can enjoy recreational activities and be in the company of their friends through intramural sports.
Starr and Obringer are currently planning Block’s 6, Second Saturday Series, pickleball. Entries for the spring pickleball tournament are due on Thursday, Feb. 27.