Whackiness on Wheels: Kinetic Sculpture Race Crosses the Finish Line

DiscoTronic preforms an glorious dance routine at the finish line.
The 2024 Humboldt County Kinetic Sculpture Race concluded its thrilling three-day event with an exhilarating finish in Ferndale on Sunday. The annual race, known for its inventive human-powered vehicles and enthusiastic participants, saw competitors push their creations to the limits over land, water, mud, and sand.

Pee Wee Hermit Crab’s Big Adventure ventures ashore.
Mark McKenna, our on-the-ground reporter, joined the racers in the pain of the mud and captured the excitement as racers crossed the finish line, greeted by cheering crowds.

Queen Glitterina spins her sparkling dress at the finish line.
The race awarded numerous prizes recognizing creativity, engineering, and sheer tenacity.
Major Awards and Winners:
Grand Champion: HumBULLdt Pie Factory clinched the top prize, showcasing exceptional overall performance.

HumBULLdt Pie Factory charged into the bay on Saturday.
1st Engineering: Beaver Fever took the top spot for engineering, impressing judges with their innovative design and execution.

Huzzah!
1st Art: AI Apple Intelligence wowed with their artistic flair, earning first place in the art category.

Apple Intelligence on the water Saturday.
1st Speed: Hobart Here’s the Whos sped to victory, clocking in at an impressive 9:32.
1st Pageantry: AI Apple Intelligence also secured first place for their pageantry, captivating spectators with their presentation.

Hobart Here’s the Whos
Other notable awards included the Best Bribe won by Plan Bee, the Best Pit Crew awarded to Pee Wee Hermit Crab’s Big Adventure, and the Never Give Up prize, which went to Trying the Ominionated for their perseverance.
The event, a beloved local tradition, celebrated its 55th year with participants from across the country. As always, the race combined elements of art, engineering, and endurance, making it a unique spectacle.
For a full list of winners, click here.
- Sculptures under the Queen of Bridges.
- Plan Bee buzzes towards the shore of the Eel River on Monday.
- Apple Inteligence got an assist from the Humboldt County Search and Rescue Team.
- Pee Wee Hermit Crab’s Big Adventure ventures ashore.
- Kinetic Surf Club clears the shallow shore break.
- Chasing Rainbows looks for a pot of gold as they leave the river.
- It takes a hive to get Plan Bee off the river bar.
- Goth Ham muddles through the mud on the river bank.
- Two bilkes from team Shifts and Giggles lay on the shore ready for action.
- HumBULLdt Pie Factory makes it ashore.
- DiscoTronic heads away from the river after a valiant battle with a submerged mud bank.
- Tempus Fugitives: Polka Dot Party departs the river bar.
- Snowball in Hell’s team pulls their sculpture through the mud.
- Bounce for Glory makes its way over the Eel River.
- DiscoTronic make it to the shore after a long struggle to get free of some mud.
- Tempus Fugitives: Polka Dot Party power onto shore.
- Bayou Bovines mooves through the mud.
- Is This Art? Makes it to the shore.
- Glorious team effort by Rat Rod Overhauled works together deflating their pontoons.
- Kinetic Cabaret rolls to the finish line.
- Reigning Queen Olivia Gambino spreads glory on Main Street in Ferndale.
- DiscoTronic performs a glorious dance routine at the finish line.
- Tempus Fugitives: Polka Dot Party take a victory lap.
- Pee Wee Hermit Crab’s Big Adventure take a victory lap at the finish line.
- Bicyclists from Pee Wee Hermit Crab’s Big Adventure take a victory lap at the finish line.
- Pee Wee Hermit Crab’s Big Adventure take a victory lap at the finish line.
- Eve’s Funktastic Voyage celebrates as they head for the finish line.
- Goth Ham team members celebrate as their machine approaches the finish line.
- Hamming it up as they cross the finish line,
- The Kinetic Maddens Band preforms at the finish line.
- Bounce for Glory wraps up another race.
- Snowball in Hell burns across the finish line.
- The team packed in on The Sardine Dream as the finish the race,
- Speed Goat milks a bit of glory at the finish.
- Trixie the Cereal Contender takes a victory lap.
- Rat Rod Overhauled rocks past the finish line.
- Tempus Fugitives: Polka Dot Party coming in hot for the finish line.
- Plaid Maxxx blasts a fireball on Main Street.
- Tin Pan Dragon was breathing fire on Main Street.
- As is tradition, the Kinetic Madness Band took over the pool room at The Palace.
- Glory Glory Hallelujah
- Reigning Queen Olivia Gambino (with spouse Colton Hubbard looking on) spreads glory on Main Street in Ferndale.
- Discotronic crew gives us the sideeye.
- A member of Beaver Fever gets a shoulder rub after a long three days of racing. Let’s hope the joy of the race was worth the pain and the work for all involved—Remember its all for the Glory!!




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Thanks so much for all the pictures. Wish I could have been there.
Humboldt County’s Kinetic Race. The coolest thing in the world, period. Only attended it once, in 2017, when I was up there for a visit. To this day, I have videos and stills from it that I took on my phone. Gotta love it.
Such a great event, I try to make at least one segment every year. This year I took a visiting friend to see it and he was blown away.
One correction though, isn’t the finish in Ferndale on Monday and not Sunday?
Great pics!!!
Anyone know how the Times Standard reported that Duane Flatmo’s sculpture had won? I saw that first reported. Even Duane confirmed that it’s ‘Fake News’!! Ha!
https://www.times-standard.com/2024/05/27/flatmo-dragon-torches-competition-finishes-first/
They were the first to cross the finish line (which does not mean they won, it just means they bypassed some parts of the race, which some racers do when they are not striving to win Grand Champion or earn an ACE).
Oh. Thanks. Guess they were there to mainly join the fun and commit the (somewhat traditional and accepted) ‘cheating’. We all trust and admire Duane, so he can do as he chooses. (And, sounds like the TS took a few pics of who crossed the finish line first, then took off. Ha!).
Amazing photos!
Craftsmen all…
Beyond that, I am verklempt…