CAMDEN — A frigid 11-degree Fahrenheit day on Sunday might have brought out fewer spectators for the 5th annual Cardboard Box Derby than last year, held at the Camden Snow Bowl, but it made for a slicker ride for all 27 teams. Though most of the cardboard boxers held together pretty well, the “vehicle” for one team, called The Goofy Gondola Girls, disintegrated in spectacular fashion as the girls (Abby Williams, 12, Elli Andrus, 12, and Zola Roberts, 12, all from Hope) literally tumbled in slow motion over one another and the remains of their gondola all the way down the hill. (See accompanying video.)

I spoke to a few of the participants after their run. Conrad Rocknak, 11, and his dad built a 1930s style open cockpit plane, calling it Bleeper Flung.

“We pretty much put it all together yesterday,” he said. The intricate plane flew down the mountain intact with an impressive 11-second run and although Conrad didn’t beat the fastest record, he did co-win “Best Costume.”

There were no adult teams this year and the kids ranged from 3 to 19, mostly from the Midcoast. Some teams opted for big, splashy, means of transport and multiple pilots, while others chose to go tiny, compact and seriously fast, like twins Ian Kolvoord and Jennifer Kolvoord, 3, from Newburgh, in their super scooting Batmobile called “Batman.”

Some teams, like The Send Mobile, helmed by Emerson Brott, 13, and his friend, Nolan Delehey, 13, both from Camden, were going for speed over style. As their flat pack cardboard sled whizzed down the mountain, they hit the mounds of hay bales at the end, designed to slow their roll. Instead, it was legs, arms and elbows flung around everywhere.

“It was pretty rough,” said Emerson, wincing, when they got back up again. “Yeah, it kinda hurts.”

“But it was really fun coming down,” said his teammate, Nolan. They said their secret to going faster was applying duct tape to the bottom of the sled.

Here are the winners and results of the 5th annual Cardboard Box Derby and gallery.

Fastest

1st - Cat Nipped #35                       8.56
• Lily Stowe (age 11) Camden, Hannah Stowe (age 7) Camden, Lyla Tibbets (age 7) Camden, Claire Caveney Snyder (age 12) Rockland.

2nd - Master Blasters #32             9.78
• Benjamin Winchenbach (19) Rockport, Kyle Winchenbach (19) Rockport, Joshua Chun (14) Belfast, Vincent Bonarrigo (15) Belmont, Thomas Ventara (19) Belfast.

3rd - Snow Barge #25                  10.02
• Finn Emory (10) Hope, Carver Emory (8) Hope, Ryan Andersen (11) Rockport, Owen Morong (10) Lincolnville        

Most Creative

WGH Racing #24
• Wyatt Heal (9)  Warren

Best Costume(s)

Flyin' Firemen #20
• Andrew Laidlaw (6) Camden, Charlie Leonard (6) Camden
Bleeper Flung #17
• Conrad Rocknak (11) from Camden

Most in a Box

Speedy Goat #29
• Cabot Adams (11) Appleton, Spencer Dorr (14) Rockland, Donovan Guptill (8) Rockland, Devin Guptill (13) Rockland, Emmett Dorr (11) Rockland, Henri Weymouth (8) Rockland, Aidan Weymouth (11) Rockland

Most Spirited

Duct Tape Duover #31
• Destiny Turner (10) Rockport, Lorelei Rademacher (10) Rockport, Sara Ackley (10) Rockport, Taylor Clayton (10) Camden, Freya Hurlburt (10) Lincolnville, Claire Helmsetter (11) Camden

Photos by Kay Stephens

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com