The setting sun reflected off the water of Sikes Lake where 17 teams were lined up with their various cardboard boats on the evening of Oct. 28. Get ready, get set, go! Splash! The boats entered the water. A few teams took an early lead, while others could barely get off the shore. The crowd of nearly 300 people cheered on all of the teams, but only one proved victorious.

The Sigma Kappa and Kappa Sigma duo sailed across the finish line, earning themselves the first place finish.

“I’m very, very excited that we won,” Zac Black, nursing freshman, said of his victory. “Our strategy was to just stay in the middle, and try not to sink.”

The duo said their team had spent only five hours working on the boat, and were surprised they actually won.

“We didn’t think we could do it,” Kelsey Pocowatchit, exercise physiology freshman, said.

However, not every team was as fortunate. The Maniacs said they spent a total of 15 hours working on their boat, but were unable to make it past the shoreline, but that did not break their spirits.

“I was really nervous, but we were pumped for the race,” Kaelen Powless, radiology sophomore, said. “But then we got stuck in the mud and we weren’t moving, so I had to get out of the boat, and push, and get back in, then water got in it.”

Spectators said they enjoyed watching people sink more than anything.

“The most fun thing about the boat race was watching who sank,” Hector Hernandez, respiratory therapist junior, said. “It was funny as well as very entertaining when boats would sink and fall apart.”

Powless said even though she ended up sinking, she had a great time and thinks more people should participate in the future.

“I would recommend it because it was hilarious,” Powless said.

Mario Ramirez, director of student development and orientation, said the event builds up positive energy for Homecoming.

“It builds up that energy, that school spirit that you want to have during homecoming week,” Ramirez said. “After the bonfire, everyone was feeling good, so doing something that’s good and exciting adds to that spirit.”

Ramirez said the cardboard boat race adds to the excitement of Homecoming week because the students lead it.

“So really it’s all of the organizations,” Ramirez said. “All we do is come the day of and make sure they didn’t put any styrofoam, just to make sure they’re following the rules and guidelines.”

The rules stated that there could not be any styrofoam in the boat, no excessive use of tape, and participants had to wear lifejackets and closed-toe shoes.

Overall participants and spectators said the race was fun.

“I had a really great time,” Pocowatchit said.