Mrs PENFOLD (Flinders): I am delighted today to honour the world champion Port Lincoln High School team and its entry, Yurno, the local Aboriginal word for sun, in the 2003 World Solar Cycle Challenge, coordinated by Bike SA. Some other South Australian entries came from Quorn Area School, Port Augusta Secondary School, Smithfield Plains High School and St Columba. The World Solar Cycle Challenge was first held in 1997 in conjunction with the World Solar Car Challenge—a biennial event. This was the first time the cycle challenge was staged wholly in South Australia. Four of the eight days of the challenge were spent on Eyre Peninsula, starting at Ceduna and taking in Streaky Bay, Elliston, Coffin Bay, Port Lincoln, Tumby Bay, Cummins, Lock, Cleve, Cowell and on to Whyalla.

This year, also for the first time, Pedal Prix teams were invited to compete on a demonstration basis. Westminster School from Marion was the only team to accept the invitation. With 11 teams participating this year from Italy, Malaysia, Vietnam, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, this event could become a showcase for our state similar to the Tour Down Under as the recognition of solar energy for vehicle propulsion is applied more widely and more teams enter the challenge. The coverage in overseas media was excellent advertising for our state, with one Italian newspaper carrying full front-page reports for five consecutive days. Such coverage is of inestimable future tourism value. The Port Lincoln team won its section, was the first Australian cycle to cross the line and came fourth overall in the event behind the three international entries.

High school technology studies teacher and team leader Gary Pelletier was the driving force that started the project just two months before the race. He was strongly encouraged and assisted by David Hawes, Max Coulson, John Bell, Morna Shane and Darylee Pelletier. The eventual team, six of whom were riders, were Luke Kovacic, Rachel Scott, Andrew Bennett, Shane Dennis, Sarah Heuppauff, Rita Archer, James Adams, Matthew LeBrun, Eric Thiel, Matthew Doughty, Ben Raven, Kathren Adams, Jakob Reinbott, Aaron Dunchue, Leigh O'Reilly and Peter Coleman. Congratulations to these dedicated young people on their outstanding effort, particularly keeping in mind the very short time frame in which they had to prepare. Parents who accompanied the team over various sections of the route were Kaye and Lester Reinbott, Cindy and Bill O'Reilly, Robyn Archer and John and Liz Raven. Thank you to all parents for assistance given to our riders and the support team. Port Lincoln businesses, individuals and others from outside the city who contributed as sponsors are also sincerely thanked for their support.

It is worth mentioning that Mr Pelletier put in a considerable amount of his own money, and donations towards the cost of the school's next entry in two years time are now being gratefully accepted. The state government also gave invaluable assistance, with the provision of a school bus that was utilised to carry riders, support personnel and equipment, as did the Port Lincoln High School and teacher Gary Pelletier as funders of last resort, for which I sincerely hope they will not be penalised and will be refunded by the department. The support given to the challenge throughout the journey by SES members and other volunteers is testimony to the huge volunteering effort in the state. Without these people, events like this that showcase our state to the world would not be possible.

Port Lincoln High School's entry cost $9 000 compared with the third across the line Italian entry at $42 000, the second placed Malaysian team at $92 000 and the winning bike from Malaysia at $130 000. Yurno had an inauspicious start to the race when the bike's control and booster box burst into flames on the first day. Some technical changes and rewiring eliminated the problem and made the bike faster. The team's average speed over the eight-day event was 33 km/h, with a top speed of 86.3 km/h.

I have to make special mention of the small town of Cleve, where the community used the event as a fundraising opportunity for the school by holding a fair. All participants in the challenge were made most welcome. Mr Pelletier said that the victory has opened many doors for the school, including offers of sponsorship from companies like Holden for the team's next entry. In addition, Elabtronics, the South Australian company that designed the solar technology for the bike, is endeavouring to obtain funding for an advanced technology hub at Port Lincoln High School
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This would be a huge boost for this isolated secondary school, it's students and it's future as a base for solar technology. All who were connected with the Port Lincoln entry were highly enthusiastic and motivated, and I believe other South Australian schools were the same.

The next Solar World Challenge event will be in 2005. Lets make 2005 even more spectacular for South Australia as one of that year's events which puts us on the world map.

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E-mail address: flinders.portlincoln@parliament.sa.gov.au