Concrete Canoe team paddles to victory at regionals and advances to nationals

Marking 50 years of UW Concrete Canoe, the team claimed regional victory with their retro-themed vessel, Anni.

The Concrete Canoe Team poses with this year’s competition canoe, Anni, on the shores of Portage Bay in Seattle. Photos courtesy of Mackenzie-Helnwein Photography.

Each year, civil engineering students across the country put their skills to the test by designing, building and racing a canoe made entirely of concrete. Known as the Concrete Canoe Competition, hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), this unique challenge combines structural engineering, materials science and teamwork.

At this spring’s Pacific Northwest ASCE Student Symposium, the UW Concrete Canoe Team took home first place overall, winning every race and earning top scores for their project proposal and prototype. Their victory secured a spot at the national championship in San Luis Obispo, California, where they will compete in late June.

This year’s canoe, Anni, celebrates the 50th anniversary of UW’s first Concrete Canoe team, founded in 1975. With a bold 1970s-inspired design, the canoe features colorful fiberglass inlays of flowers, a peace sign and a boombox, blending engineering precision with playful nods to the past.

The 230-pound vessel is the result of hundreds of hours of research, design and construction, with carefully engineered concrete mixes and reinforcements that balance strength and buoyancy.

“Our canoe is a testament to the dedication, skill and teamwork of our team,” the group shared on social media. “Anni embodies 50 years of innovation, perseverance and passion for Concrete Canoe.”