For the first time in RPI history, the Institute’s Concrete Canoe team won first place at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Concrete Canoe regional competition, earning a spot at the national competition June 25-27.  

The annual ASCE challenge invites college teams to compete in designing, building, and racing a canoe made of concrete. Students are responsible for every aspect of the project, including developing the concrete mix, designing the hull shape, manufacturing the canoe, presenting their work to judges, and rowing the canoe on race day.

This year the RPI canoe was named The Blade, in honor of Troy’s connection to Uncle Sam, who worked as a local butcher before becoming a national symbol.

The canoes are made using a lightweight concrete that is less dense than water, allowing them to float. Teams are evaluated in four categories: technical proposal, oral presentation, manufacturing quality, and race performance.

At the Upstate New York and Canada regional competition, RPI placed third in the technical proposal category and second in all other categories, securing a first-place win overall.

“I am so incredibly proud of this team and how we combined our different skillsets with grit, dedication, and enthusiasm to create an outstanding final product,” said Abbey Pettus, team captain of RPI Concrete Canoe. “Our team of seven people brought energy and adaptability into this project from the first time we stepped foot into the lab, to race day at the regional competition.  We are excited to represent RPI at the national competition and are ready to have The Blade slice through the waters of West Virginia!”

The full team includes Ben Sepulveda'26, Gavin Fusco '26, Weiheng Oh '26, Abbey Pettus '26, Christina Shaver '26, Sofia Lopez '26 and Nicole Shi '27, and team advisor Christos Varsamis '21 Ph.D.