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Kinetic Grand Championship

BUILD a human-powered amphibious art sculpture that crosses sand, mud and water over 50 miles.

Team entryWatch & buy local
29–31 May 2027Next date
None listedNext deadline / key date
Memorial Day weekend (late May)Usual timing
Arcata to Ferndale, Humboldt County, California, USAWhere
01 · How to take part

Your way in

Enter as a racer team, or volunteer/spectate.

Team entry

Race a human-powered amphibious sculpture

Enter a racer team with a fully human-powered art sculpture that crosses sand, mud and water over 50 miles. Pilots must be 16+. 2027 registration isn't open yet.

Watch & buy local

Volunteer or spectate

Volunteer or watch along the route.

You build or use
BUILD a human-powered amphibious art sculpture that crosses sand, mud and water over 50 miles
Participation
Build-compete
Entry and deadlines
Fully human-powered; pilots 16+. 2027 registration dates not published
Where
Arcata to Ferndale, Humboldt County, California, USA
02 · Dates

Dates and deadlines, Oct 2026 to Dec 2027

Usual timing: Memorial Day weekend (late May). Dates are only shown where a source publishes them; everything else is marked TBC.

  • 29–31 May 2027Kinetic Grand Championship 2027Arcata to Ferndale, Humboldt County, CA. · sourceTeam entry

See it on the calendar →

03 · Skills you'll need

Skills you'll need

What to learn and practise before you go. Each resource is marked Official or Community-accepted and names its publisher. Difficulty and prep time are our estimate.

Core skill

Designing a human-powered amphibious sculpture that crosses roads, sand, mud and open water

Also useful:

  • Flotation, traction and drivetrain design (pedal power on land and water)
  • Following the 'Offishul Rules', including ACE status, self-sufficiency and safe conduct
Difficulty our estimateSkilled team
Prep time our estimate3–6 months of design, build and water testing

Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures.

Refresher

  1. All forward movement must be human-powered over the whole course; for ACE status no batteries or stored energy may drive forward movement, and tyre or pontoon inflation must use human-powered pumps.
  2. Everything needed for normal operation (flotation, water propulsion, pumps, sand or mud traction aids, tools) must be carried on the sculpture all the way.
  3. Design for three terrains: wide tyres or traction aids for sand and mud, gearing for hills, and flotation plus paddle wheels or propellers for water.
  4. Safety rules prohibit projectiles, anchors, explosives and fireworks; fuel, compressed gas and lithium batteries must follow best practice (the rules point to Burning Man's flame-effects guidance).
  5. Read the engineering and art judging criteria early; the race rewards art and engineering as well as speed.
  6. Team roles: captain, pilots, pit crew; everyone signs the waiver and code of conduct.

Practise before you go

  • Read 'How to Build a Kinetic' and sketch your drivetrain and flotation.
  • Test flotation of your pontoon design in a pool or lake with the full pilot load.
  • Build stamina with long cycling rides, including sand or mud if possible.

Safety notes

  • Flotation must carry the full pilot load; test before race day.
  • No projectiles, anchors, fireworks or explosives; handle fuels and lithium batteries to best practice.
  • All team members sign the waiver and code of conduct.

Resources

Officialofficial rules (PDF)

Rules, Schedule, Awards 2026 ('Offishul Rules')

The full 2026 race rules: ACE, human power, self-sufficiency and safety.

Publisher: Kinetic Universe / Kinetic Grand Championship

Officialofficial participant page

Racers page

Registration, waivers and links to the rules and judging criteria.

Publisher: Kinetic Grand Championship

Officialofficial judging criteria (PDF)

KGC Engineering judging criteria

What the engineering judges look for (2023 version, the latest linked).

Publisher: Kinetic Grand Championship

Community-acceptedguide (PDF)

How to Build a Kinetic Sculpture – Elliot Naess

A veteran racer's design and build notes covering planning, flotation and drivetrains.

Publisher: Elliot Naess (experienced kinetic racer); hosted by Kinetic Grand Championship

Why accepted: Written by a long-time racer and linked from and hosted on the official KGC Racers page as builder guidance.

Officialofficial video channel

Kinetic GC – YouTube

Linked from the official site; footage of water and sand crossings.

Publisher: Kinetic Grand Championship (official channel)

Note

2027 registration and dates aren't open yet.

See also the skills guides: Human-powered craft → · Festival build safety & Leave No Trace → · All skills guides

04 · Check before you go

What we could and couldn't confirm

Before you book

  • 2027 registration is not open yet.
  • Costs are not listed on buildwith. Check them, and the latest dates, on the official site.