Rock 102 hosts 7th annual Cardboard Cup

The sun was shining and the sleds were sliding at Rock 102’s 7th annual Cardboard Cup at Optimist Hill on Saturday.

Approximately 300 spectators were out at the hill to watch the event’s 18 participants try to make it to the bottom of the hill in their home-made cardboard sleds.

The rules are simple. Cardboard, tape, string, glue and paint are the allowed materials. Designs are up to the participants.

Sled designs ranged everywhere from the first-place winning, seven-foot-tall, horse and carriage that took over 3000 hours to build, to a couple flimsy last- minute sleds.

This year’s second-place winners Eric, Pierce and Michael decided to give their sled a Saskatoon theme for their second year entering the contest.

“Our sled is Ole Vicky which is a replica of the old Victoria Bridge complete with non functioning lights,” said Eric. “Last year we built a bobsled. It was the first bobsled not to make it down a snow covered hill, we made it half way and I think we improved this year.

“I’m going to guarantee we will make it all the way down this year.”

Other participants, like Christine and her son Garrett decided to go with a little more historic theme.

“Last year we came here and watched and then I really wanted to join so we just figured out to do a viking ship and it worked,” said Garrett.

When asked how he decided on the Viking ship he responded, “We were going to do a hot dog then we thought (the ship) would be easier.”

Fortunately for the creator of the horse and carriage sled, Rose, the prizes are awarded based on creativity and not the sleds ability to make it down — or in her sled’s case — up the hill.

The approximately 200-pound sled was towed half way up the hill before it began falling apart and was carried to the top of the hill in pieces before being reconstructed.

People are still filing in to Diefenbaker hill for the Rock 102 Cardboard Cup. We are just a few minutes away from the first heats pic.twitter.com/DsOw22IZ3O

— Harrison Brooks (@HarrisonCKOM) February 29, 2020

But the spectators remained for the whole process because everyone wanted to see how it would hold up on its way down. The result was unspectacular as the sled fall apart shortly after starting its descent.

However, Rose still won first place and with that received $1,000 cash, a $1,500 gift certificate and her name on the Cardboard Cup trophy.