Winners crowned in pedal prix design competition

When Blackfriars’ new pedal prix cycle hits the track in the Australian HPV Super Series next month, a trio of Primary students will look on with pride.

Year 6s Owen Delany and Lachlan Dennis and Year 5 Rafael Vuksan were judged the winners of a Year 5/6-wide competition to create a striking design for the school’s original pedal prix cycle, now dubbed Hound #3. 

As part of the competition, the Years 5/6 boys worked in groups to create the designs – also producing a video demonstrating the process – with eight shortlisted as finalists.

Those finalists then had to present their ideas to a panel of judges – Australian International Pedal Prix Inc Chief Executive Officer Marcus Lacey, Jason Nottle, from Trump Trikes, and graphic designers Greg and Emilia Pace, from WhoYou Creative. Mr and Mrs Pace’s son, Thomas (Year 8), is part of Blackfriars’ pedal prix team.

The designs had to incorporate Blackfriars branding, the Trump Trikes logo and have space for the cycle’s race number.

Speaking during the judging process, Mr Lacey – who is responsible for looking after 260 teams in the 2023 pedal prix series – said careful consideration of a vehicle’s design was vital.

“When you’re actually at the track and watching the vehicles go around, there are some that really stand out,” Mr Lacey said. “On that basis, the ones I find attractive are the ones the make a statement as they go past. You’re trying to be seen; you’re trying to make a statement. Those qualities, to me, are really important to any school, because you want to stand out.”

The popularity of pedal prix at Blackfriars has soared in recent years. Director of Development, Patrick Kelly, who runs the program, hoped the design competition would encourage younger students to take up the sport when they entered Secondary School.

“It has grown from nothing to three cycles in five years,” Mr Kelly said of pedal prix, which is open to students from Year 7.

“But I do want to make sure we attract some really good young talent. It’s all well and good to have  these vehicles, but you need the engine to put in it.”

He had “really enjoyed” seeing the Year 5/6 boys embrace the design project. “I’ve been involved in pedal prix for a long time, and this was one of the best projects I’ve been involved in,” he said.

Principal David Ruggiero also thanked the students for their work: “Thank you for the energy and effort you’ve put into these designs. What you produce at the end is wonderful, but the process is critical.”

Owen, Lachlan and Rafael will now work with Mr and Mrs Pace to fine-tune their design before it is applied to Hound #3. The boys will be able to see the cycle in action in Round 3 of the Australian HPV Super Series at Victoria Park in June. They will also attend the Round 4 race at Tailem Bend, where they will be treated to lunch overlooking the track.

Meanwhile, Year 6 students Mustapha Starri, Nadeem Hussein and Antonio-John (AJ) Sassine were awarded “best video” for their presentation.