# Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race

The Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) is an annual event that challenges the creativity of engineering students. The competition originated in 1974 and was created by Dr. S. H. Simmonds, president of the Alberta chapter of the American Concrete Institute. The first race was held in 1975 with participants from the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Since its beginning, GNCTR has grown to include universities and technical schools from across Canada with occasional entries from the United States and Europe.

## Rules

The project involves designing and constructing a toboggan with a metal frame and a running surface made completely out of concrete and racing it down a steep snow-covered hill. The sled must weigh less than 350 pounds (158.8 kg), have a working braking system, and be fitted with a roll cage to protect its five passengers. Each competing team must complete a technical report summarizing the design, which is presented at a public technical exhibition.

## Spirit

It is traditional for teams to choose a theme for their sled; they often wear appropriate costumes and incorporate elements of the design into their technical exhibit and sled aesthetics. Themes have become a major part of the competition, making up a large part of the spirit award, as well as the best uniforms award. Theme ideas are most often drawn from popular culture, retro references, or are based on the team's home university/college and its location.

## Awards

Teams are judged for top speed, best run, most improved, braking, steering, and aesthetics. Each year, an award is also given for the best overall entry.
The current record holder for top speed in a successfully completed run at GNCTR is the University of Toronto, who set a speed of 73 km/h on Feb 1, 2020.
| Year | Overall Champion | Race Champion | Spirit Award |
| 2025 | University of Toronto | Western University | University of Calgary |
| 2024 | University of British Columbia Okanagan | University of Toronto | McMaster University |
| 2023 | Western University | University of Toronto | McMaster University |
| 2022 | Not Awarded | Not Awarded | University of Calgary |
| 2021 | Not Awarded | Not Awarded | Ryerson University |
| 2020 | University of Toronto | University of Toronto | Concordia University |
| 2019 | Ryerson University | Ryerson University | University of Calgary |
| 2018 | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology | Lawrence Technological University | University of British Columbia Okanagan |
| 2017 | Queen's University | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology | University of Calgary |
| 2016 | Western University | Lawrence Technological University | University of Calgary |
| 2015 | University of Calgary | University of Calgary | University of Calgary |
| 2014 | University of Alberta | University of British Columbia Okanagan | University of Toronto |
| 2013 | Western University | University of Toronto | McMaster University |
| 2012 | Ryerson University | Ryerson University | Queen's University |
| 2011 | University of Calgary | University of Saskatchewan | McMaster University |
| 2010 | University of Alberta | University of Calgary | Queen's University |
| 2009 | University of Manitoba | | |
| 2008 | University of Waterloo | | |
| 2007 | Université de Sherbrooke | | University of Alberta |
| 2006 | Royal Military College of Canada | University of Western Ontario | |
| 2005 | Carleton University | | McMaster University |
| 2004 | University of Calgary | | McMaster University |
| 2003 | University of Manitoba | | McMaster University |
| 2002 | University of Waterloo | | Carleton University |
| 2001 | University of British Columbia | | McMaster University |
| 2000 | University of Calgary | | University of Manitoba |
| 1999 | University of Manitoba | | University of Manitoba |
| 1998 | University of Waterloo | | University of Manitoba |
| 1997 | University of Waterloo | | |
| 1996 | École Polytechnique de Montréal | École Polytechnique de Montréal | |
| 1995 | University of Waterloo | | |
| 1994 | Universität Stuttgart | | |
| 1993 | University of Alberta | | University of Manitoba |
| 1992 | Universite de Sherbrooke | | |
| 1991 | École de technologie supérieure | | |
| 1990 | École Polytechnique de Montréal | | |
| 1989 | University of Calgary | | University of Waterloo |
| 1988 | University of British Columbia | | |
| 1987 | University of British Columbia | | University of Waterloo |
| 1986 | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology | | University of Waterloo |
| 1985 | | | University of Waterloo |
| 1984 | University of Manitoba | | University of Waterloo |
| 1981 | University of Manitoba | | |
| 1980 | University of British Columbia | | |
| 1979 | Northern Alberta Institute of Technology | | |
| 1977 | University of British Columbia | | |
| 1975 | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology | | |

## Competition host

In the early years of the competition, the winning team was asked to host the subsequent competition. By the mid-1990s, this practice had changed to an alternating scheme between Western and Eastern Canadian schools; the dividing line is the Manitoba-Ontario border. The competition usually runs from Wednesday to Sunday, at the end of January or over the first weekend in February.
| Year | Host School | City |
| 2026 | Western University | London |
| 2025 | Concordia University | Montreal |
| 2024 | Memorial University of Newfoundland | St. John's |
| 2023 | University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus) | Kelowna |
| 2022 | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of Calgary | Virtually |
| 2021 | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, University of Calgary | Virtually |
| 2020 | University of Toronto | Toronto |
| 2019 | University of Alberta | Edmonton |
| 2018 | University of Waterloo | Waterloo |
| 2017 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| 2016 | University of Ottawa | Ottawa |
| 2015 | University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus) | Kelowna |
| 2014 | University of Western Ontario | London |
| 2013 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver |
| 2012 | University of Calgary | Calgary |
| 2011 | University of Alberta | Edmonton |
| 2010 | McMaster University | Hamilton |
| 2009 | University of Calgary | Red Deer |
| 2008 | Université de Sherbrooke | Sherbrooke |
| 2007 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| 2006 | École de technologie supérieure and Concordia University | Montreal |
| 2005 | University of Calgary | Calgary |
| 2004 | Carleton University | Ottawa |
| 2003 | University of Alberta | Edmonton |
| 2002 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| 2001 | Queen's University/Royal Military College of Canada | Kingston |
| 2000 | University of Regina | Regina |
| 1999 | University of Waterloo | Waterloo |
| 1998 | University of Calgary | Calgary |
| 1997 | Carleton University | Ottawa |
| 1996 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| 1995 | École Polytechnique de Montréal | Montreal |
| 1994 | University of Alberta | Edmonton |
| 1993 | Université de Sherbrooke | Sherbrooke |
| 1992 | École de technologie supérieure | Montreal |
| 1991 | École Polytechnique de Montréal | Montreal |
| 1990 | University of Calgary | Calgary |
| 1988 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver |
| 1985 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| 1984 | University of Alberta | Edmonton |
| 1982 | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
| 1981 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver |
| 1980 | Northern Alberta Institute of Technology | Edmonton |
| 1978 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver |
| 1975 | University of Calgary, University of Alberta, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology | Red Deer |