Australian Embassy in Tokyo hosts send-off party for BWSC teams

On Aug. 27, 2019, the Japanese teams participating in the 2019 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) gathered at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo for a send-off party. The BWSC is a 3,000-km (1,875-mi.) race in which student teams from around the world build their own solar cars and drive them across the Australian Outback for five to six days.

Words of encouragement for the Japanese student teams

The party was attended by teams from Tokai University, Goko High School, Nagoya Institute of Technology, and Kogakuin University.

Following heartfelt speeches from each team, Richard Court—the Australian Ambassador to Japan, who hosted the party—took the stage to emphasize the BWSC’s significance.

“The BWSC has become the foremost global innovation challenge and the largest solar event in the world,” he said. “The mission of the BWSC is to address the imperatives of sustainable transport—and that is even more relevant today than it was when the race was first run in 1987. I look forward to watching this year's event unfold and wish all competitors, teams, officials and contributors the very best of luck for the 2019 BWSC."

He was followed by Masaaki Tsuya—Bridgestone Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Representative Executive Officer—who offered words of encouragement to the young engineers on the teams.

“The BWSC motto,” he said, “is ‘Dream Bigger, Go Farther.’ It’s about believing in yourself. It’s about pursuing your dream. And it’s about marching toward progress. Let us all join each other on this incredible journey. I will be awaiting all of you at the end of the race in Adelaide.”

Some final adjustments—and then off to Australia!

Following the party, the teams returned to work, making final tweaks and adjustments to their cars before shipping them to Australia. For example, on Sept. 1—a few days after the party—the Tokai University team conducted test runs at the Bridgestone Proving Ground in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture.

Not be outdone, the other teams also took their cars out for painstaking testing before sending them off to Australia for the race.

This year’s BWSC promises to be no less heated than in previous years. Keep an eye out for the results on this website!