Thursday, Oct. 9, the Pitt State Homecoming Committee hosted the annual Raft Races. This event brought together students and organizations as teams put their creativity and teamwork to the test at University Lake during homecoming week.
Spectators filled the shore to cheer on friends and classmates as rafts of all shapes and designs battled against the water. One of those watching was Ariana Shankle, a sophomore biology major, who came out to support her sorority.
“I’m in Tri Sigma,” Shankle said. “It’s my first time watching, and it’s really upbeat. Everybody’s cheering and having fun.”
Shankle said that one of her favorite moments came from the International Student Association’s raft.
“They kind of nose-dived into the water, which was hilarious,” Shankle said. “I’ve never seen another school do something like this, so it’s really special.”
Among the competitors was Avery Blubaugh, a senior biology education major, who competed alongside her teammate for Tri Sigma. Their raft followed a canoe-style design. The pair spent about six hours total over three nights building their raft, allowing time for each Flex Seal layer to dry.
“We wanted the ends to be pointed so it could cut through the water,” Blubaugh said. “We used pool noodles and coated the whole thing in Flex Seal so no water would get in.”
Blubaugh’s strategy was to communicate and paddle on one side.
“It’s my last semester at Pitt State, so this is a really sweet moment for us,” Blubaugh said. “The alien costumes are definitely the best part, even though the green face paint is itchy.”
Blubaugh said there were some challenges due to the design, but adrenaline kept them going.
“Our cardboard walls didn’t hold up when we climbed in,” Blubaugh said. “We focused so much on the base that we forgot about the sides. We ended up having to swim the whole thing, and neither of us are swimmers. It was pure adrenaline.”