NC State engineering students are ready at the starting line of the ASCE-sponsored concrete canoe race in Madison, Wisconsin, June 22.

Paddling their concrete canoe, “The Gambler,” a team from NC State University placed 10^th overall out of 25 entrants in a race sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in Madison, Wisconsin, June 22. The race was part of the 150^th anniversary ASCE celebration.

Each team was asked to select a theme for their canoe and presentation. The NC State students chose The Gambler as their theme for this year. Painted on the inside of the canoe is a hand of playing cards with four aces. The canoe, made of a very dense kind of concrete layered with high strength, reinforced plastic fiber, is painted white with red stripes and a wolf logo as well as the name.

Fourteen NC State civil engineering students were members of the canoe team, which improved its ranking from 15^th in 2001. The event included a men’s endurance race, a sprint race and a canoe display.