Bridge Building Qualifications for International Contest Organizers

How can I Host an International Bridge Contest?

In order to host an International Bridge Building Contest, you will need to have the following qualifications:

Experience: Must have served as a Regional Contest Host for at least three (3) years.
Transportation: Air transportation from major cities must be available without need for more than one transfer.
Lodging: Low cost, dormitory-type housing should be available near contest site.
Committee: At least 50% of the International Host's committee must be high school teachers.
Rules: Must be predicated on the following
1. Basswood (3/32 inch square cross-section, 30 linear feet).
2. Aim for about a 100 kg maximum load (mass) to break the best bridges.
3. Testing the bridge to destruction must be possible by use of hanging weights. If this is not the primary method, then a simple adaptation to hanging weights must be proposed.
4. The bridge rules must permit easy testing by local physics teachers.
5. The rules must be very simple for students to read and understand, and limited to one sheet of paper (8.5 x 11 in. both sides).
Financial: The International Host must provide without charge -
1. Rules and Information to all Regional Hosts and/or their qualifying contest winners.
2. Free, Official Wood disseminated to all International Contest student participants. Each stick of Official Wood must be identifiable as having been provided by the International Host.
3. A banquet following the contest.
4. Appropriate prizes, trophies, certificates, photographs to student participants. Scholarship to one or more universities when possible.
5. Postage, phone calls, mailings.
Location: Must change each year to move through a sequence - west, central, east, central, west, etc.
Deadlines: These must be submitted to the International Bridge Building Committee, Chicago.
1. Submit application to be International Host by May 1 of previous year.
2. Submit proposal for contest rules by June 1, of previous year.
3. The International Bridge Building Committee, Chicago, will determine, by June 20, who the next International Host will be, and will inform all who have applied.
4. The International Bridge Building Committee, Chicago, will make proposed Rule changes by September 1, and Rules will be finalized by September 15.

Last update: December 24, 2009

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For further information, contact: Prof. Carlo Segre - segre@iit.edu, Illinois Institute of Technology