Team Half-Fast’s Wheely Wonka does wheelies at the plaza Saturday. Photos by Sage Alexander
The 2026 Kinetic Grand Championship went off with a siren Saturday at the Arcata Plaza.
Racers showed off human powered sculptures tinkered on for months (or frantically glued together in days) to judges and hundreds of onlookers.
The sculptures underwent safety checks and a brake test, and teams showed off their engineering, art and pageantry to judges wielding clipboards and wearing white lab coats.
Teams sped around the plaza after the traditional noon Goddess siren and began the 50 mile championship that will end Monday in Ferndale.
For the full spectators guide, click here.
The Apple Pedalers’ Trooth Decay is in it “for the money,” according to team members. They sprayed equal parts unknown smelly substance and misinformation.
SLUG Life wowed spectators with bling and bits of ecology appropriate for the redwood forest floor.
Captain Malia Matsumoto pilots Rocket Ham for team Hamtastic Glory, looking to again ACE the race.
DragStrip Divas whip their sculpture around the block.
A crowd gathers to watch the DragStrip Divas perform a choreographed dance and lip synch, serving hot rod realness with local drag artist Komboujia.
The kinetic fairy godmother speaks to a spectator.
Team Tempus Fugitives, on the Four Norsemen of the Apocalypse. Peons beat war drums for the Viking themed battering ram.
Crowd favorite Yeastie Boys’ Brass Monkey declared no sleep ‘til Ferndale.
Bosozuko (AKA Reckless Driving Crew)
The backside of Lucy (of The Beatles hit ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’), featuring Kaleidoscopic eyes.
Lucy’s Kaleidoscopic eyes.
Flying bagel launched by the ‘Ccino Machino.
The Shoe Shine & the Heel n Soles, which suffered a malfunction while careening around the plaza but marched on minutes later.
Sequoia Humane Society’s Home Base.
Bone Shaker, captained by Duane Flatmo.
Teams bribed onlookers and judges.
The Rebel Appliance prepares to be judged.
The Rebel Appliance, a “culinary ’droid from a galaxy not so far away.”
Kinetic traffic controllers urged spectators to move off the road before sculptures began barreling around the plaza.
Glory as the Magic School Bus.
A man tinkers with a bike chain.
Adoptable dogs strode down the street, closely following Sparky the Magnificent.
Team 420’s Hippypotamus.
HMS Sea Cow for team Needs More Cowbell, which boasts ACEing every existing race in the USA.
Spectators swarmed the plaza, looking for a view of the sculptures during the Kinetic Swarm.
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