On Sunday, April 7,
Dylan Smith from Orewa College, Auckland, became New Zealand’s
National Soap Box Derby Champion. Following his win Dylan went on to
compete in the grand finals in Akron, Ohio, US, in July and has just returned after a
“once-in-a-lifetime experience”.
It’s been called “The
Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World”, “The Gravity Grand Prix” and many
other names, but to the Rotary Club of Whangaparaoa, NZ, and thousands of kids
across the globe, it is known simply as the “Soap Box Derby”. The event was inaugurated in 1933 in Dayton, Ohio, and has
since become one of those traditional annual American spectaculars. Soap Box Derbies started in New Zealand 11
years ago with a council initiative in Northcote, supported by the local Rotary
club. Terry Clarkson from the Rotary Club of Whangaparaoa became involved in
the New Zealand organisation nine years ago as a member of the Waitakere Club.
Today, a series of five area races take place each year with this year’s grand
final hosted by the Whangaparaoa club in Stanmore Bay, Auckland. The winner,
13-year-old Dylan Smith from Orewa College, drove one of 16 trolleys provided
by the Whangaparaoa club.
Currently, five New
Zealand Rotary clubs are involved; Whangaparaoa, Waitakere, Auckland East,
Northcote and Whangarei. New Zealand’s
Soap Box Derby Race Director, Terry Clarkson, is really encouraged by the way
the competition is developing. “It gives young people the opportunity to work
closely as a team, be competitive and help make a contribution to good causes,”
Terry said. Following this year’s competition, the Whangaparaoa club also
donated $6500 to Hibiscus Coast Hospice. “This is now the Rotary Club of Whangaparaoa’s
major event and I would love to see the Trolley Derby developin New Zealand and
Australia with more Rotary clubs participating,” Terry said. “It would provide
the opportunity for many more young people to compete and maybe mount a real
challenge to the Americans!” The All American Soap Box Derby Headquarters was established
in 1992 in Akron, Ohio. Each year more than 120 teams from across the US and
eight other countries take part in the July championships. Like all things American,
the championships are spectacular. Racing
is split into World championships and the International Category of New
Zealand, Alaska, Hawaii, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada and Panama.
New Zealand has won
the International Section three times, last year with 10-year-old Gemma McDougall,
New Zealand’s first ever female champion. This year Dylan Smith was not
successful, but he carries his experience forward to next year.
