By CARLIE CLARK/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Clc26208@email.vccs.edu

FRANKLIN—Big Daddy’s Pizza, piloted by Cindy Mitrovic and Madi Busby, came in first place for the Third Annual Franklin Cardboard Robo-Regatta on Saturday. The crew, which was sponsored by Joe’s Pizza and Pasta, belongs to the Franklin Robotics team, which hosts the event at Barrett’s Landing.

In second place was Blackwater Bessie with Lizzie Connor and Dan Preston at the oars. This boat was partly sponsored by the robotics team and WLQM. In third place were Alex and Dean Russell, a father-and-son team, with their boat, The Captain’s Chest. Coming in fourth place was The Boat of Many Colors, made by Franklin Baptist Church, with Davis Moore and Wesleigh Kimlick.

The Titanic Award, which goes for boats that sink or capsize, went to The Boat of Many Colors. The Spirit Award went to Blackwater Bessie.

The event is open to individuals, schools, youth groups and nearly anyone willing to build a board. Those who participate must pay $20 per crew member, and there must be at least two people operating each craft.

“We also sell Boy Scout-like sailboats and LED light bulbs” said Robotics coach Liz Burgess. All the funds raised from the event go to support the Franklin Robotics team.

The boats can only be made from cardboard, caulking and duct tape, and must be able to withstand up to four trips in the water. Every boat must sail at least one timed trial in order to decide who will be going up against one another. A group may opt out of doing a time trial and will automatically be placed in fourth. If a group chooses to do this, they must race against the fastest group. After the times are recorded, the third- and fourth-place teams will race to decide who gets third, and then finally the first- and second-place teams will race to determine the winner of it all.

“Next year we hope to have more participants and a bit more competition,” said Burgess.