Nation`s Largest Solar Boat Competition Culminates With Three-Day Race Event, Beginning This Friday

Solar Cup to Bring Nearly 600 High School Students on 33 Teams to Lake Skinner
for Three Days of Qualifying, Racing May 15-17
LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
Beginning this Friday, May 15, nearly 600 Southland students representing 33
high school teams will showcase seven months of work during three days of
solar-powered boat qualifying and racing at Lake Skinner in southwest Riverside
County`s Temecula Valley.

The seventh annual Solar Cup competition, sponsored by the Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California and its member agencies, features student teams
who build and equip boats that are powered by direct and stored solar energy.
After Friday`s inspections and qualifying, the competition culminates this
Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17, with solar-powered endurance and sprint
races. Sunlight is the only power source that can be used for propulsion.

"Solar Cup is a great project and an event that increases the students`
understanding of science, mathematics and awareness of water conservation and
water quality issues that face Southern California and the entire state," said
Metropolitan board Chairman Timothy F. Brick.

"Many Solar Cup participants go on to colleges and universities where they apply
this knowledge in science, math, engineering and communications, and possibly
investigate careers in the water industry," Brick said.

In addition to points scored during the qualifying and racing part of the
competition, teams also are scored on other activities leading up to race day,
including attendance at workshops, technical reports, and production of a public
water conservation message in audio, video or print format, based on the theme,
"Water conservation is a necessity, a way of life."

Friday`s activities center around comprehensive visual and technical inspections
of the boats on land and water by professors and students from Occidental
College. Racing begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with the 1.4 kilometer solar
endurance competition, split between veteran and rookie divisions. Sunday`s
200-yard sprint races also start at 10 a.m. with veteran and rookie divisions.

Of the 33 teams competing in the 2009 Solar Cup, five are newcomers - Walnut
High School, Anaheim`s Savanna High School, Firebaugh High School in Lynwood,
Francis Poly High School in Sun Valley and La Caňada High School.

The Solar Cup program begins in November with teams building their 16-foot hulls
from kits of marine-grade wood provided by Metropolitan. Over the following
months, teams equip the hulls with solar-collection panels, motors, batteries,
steering systems, drive-trains, seats and dashboards using funds provided by
their sponsoring water agency.

First-time teams receive $4,000 and returning teams are given $2,500. While all
teams must build and equip a new hull, returning teams may use equipment from
previous boats.

The Solar Cup event is open to the public and runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lake
Skinner, about 10 miles northeast of Interstate 10 at the Rancho California Road
exit in Temecula. For more Solar Cup information, visit www.mwdh2o.com

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26
cities and water agencies serving 19 million people in six counties.The district
imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement
local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation,
recycling, storage and other resource-management programs

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Rob Hallwachs, 213-217-6450
cell: 213-324-1255

Copyright Business Wire 2009