The highlight of PSWC day 1 is the concrete canoe and steel bridge aesthetics competition. Since we’re hosting PSWC this year, the event took place at the heart of the USC campus, in Alumni Park. Various other events took place today, including the Environmental Design competition.
We’re all thrilled to see KAP at 5:30am 
KAP was bustling with activity at this early hour 
The bridge is ready for display 
We had to fill 100s of gallons of water for the environmental competition, since we’re hosting 
The environmental system heads up the lift 
Erin rides a cart past Tommy Trojan. We had to get the cart back to KAP for another load of stuff somehow… 
Pulling water to Pardee Plaza for Environmental Competition 
Admiring our just-re-stained, barely finished canoe cross section while waiting for the lift 
The Steel Bridge rides up the lift 
EVERYONE had to be at KAP at 5:30 since Canoe, Bridge, and Environmental all had events starting at 7am. Oh, and did I mention we’re hosting? 
Moving the canoe. I’m not getting into the process of getting it up on the lift… 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Rolling the canoe from KAP to Alumni Park 
Stopping by the environmental competition to borrow tape. 
The team prepared extensively for the competition this year 
We also had turn all of that water into wastewater… since we’re hosting… 
Canoe, up on the stands, ready for aesthetics work 
Steel Bridge team assembles the bridge in alumni park 
Steel Bridge team assembles the bridge in alumni park 
Setting up for aesthetics. 
Setting up swords under the bow and stern. 
Our stuff, with Cal Poly SLO’s in the background. Their canoe budget is about 10x ours. 
Many teams have lots of money for aesthetics, so they can create elabotate themes and amazing stands. We did pretty good with pretty much nothing. 
As you can see by the lack of people on Trousdale, it’s still before 8am. 
Assembling the bridge. 
Our bridge, in front of SLO’s setup. 
Our canoe stand features the trojan values and images that represent USC culture. 
Our theme, SC Traveler, is in honor of our school since we’re co-hosting PSWC this year. 
Our display board came out pretty good this year. 
Bridge, Canoe, ready for judging. 
The Canoe and Display. 
Post-judging, the display is left up for viewing all day. It’s still just 9:30am. 
Back at the environmental competition. 
Our team talks with the environmental judges. 
Back to supervise the canoe in the afternoon. 
Now that the sun’s out, our cardinal and gold bridge and canoe really shine. 
Thomas explains USC ASCE to campus passers-by. 
The Canoe in front of Doheny Library. 
Erin, Concrete Canoe Co-Captain, poses with the canoe 
Erin, Concrete Canoe Co-Captain, poses with the canoe 
Sian Poses with the canoe 
Our Display from another angle 
Our Display from another angle 
Our Display from another angle 
Our Display from another angle 
Our Display from afar 
Cal Poly SLO Canoe, front/right, our canoe, back/left 
The Steel Bridge 
The Steel Bridge 
The Steel Bridge 
Our other canoe co-captain is studying abroad in South Africa this semester. But he’s with us in spirit, and is pictured in the leftmost circle on our canoe stand. 
The Steel Bridge 
The Concrete Canoe Cutaway Section looked better and better as the day wore on, as the hours-old concrete cured… 
The Steel Bridge 
Time to disassemble the aesthetics display and get everything ready for tomorrow’s races. 
Cleaning up. The steel bridge has once again been condensed to fit onto a single cart. 
Clean up from afar. 
We ran over to KAP to start loading the truck with stuff for race day (to be held at Santa Fe Dam). 
Since we’re co-hosting, and in charge of lunch, we need to load tons of drinks and stuff in addition to the canoe. 
Stuff waiting to ride up the lift. 
Lots of drinks, and canoe paddling materials, await moving from the lift into the truck. 
Where’s the food? 
We have a special lunch planned. 
Loading stuff into the truck. 
Loading stuff into the truck. 
Back at the Canoe. 
We’re the only ones left. 
One canoe, in Alumni Park. 
Ready to load the canoe in the truck, we realized we need to cover some exposed reinforcement. 
So, actually we had to make another last-minute concrete patch mix. 
THIS is the latest we’ve ever put new concrete on the canoe, but at least it’s only a little. 
The bridge rides back downstairs, and we’re ready to collapse, then get up at 4 again tomorrow morning.