Sailors host electric car racing contest

Sailors from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall helped run a schools’ electric car racing championship on an old Second World War airfield.

In school teams, around 200 children took part in the event organised by the charity Greenpower Education Trust.

It was hosted by the Royal Navy at Predannack Airfield on the Lizard peninsula in west Cornwall, which is used for training by nearby RNAS Culdrose.

Sailors from the air station lent a hand organising the races, as well as passing on some technical tips from the aircraft engineers.

There were two categories of races for different age groups. Teams taking part included primary and secondary schools from Cornwall as well as Torquay, Taunton and one school all the way from near Stoke-on-Trent.

Lieutenant James Turner, from RNAS Culdrose’s Air Engineering Department, said: “It was great to be able to host the team from Greenpower.

"They are an inspiring and enthusiastic team and the children certainly enjoyed building and racing their own cars. We had military personnel from across Culdrose come and take part. They were happy to get involved and it was good to be working again with schools to promote science and engineering.” 

Last year’s event had been cancelled due to Covid restrictions and special measures were put in place this year to ensure the event took place safely.