Cardboard Derby

The festival of duct tape and cardboard is back! 

• Date: March 22, 2025
• Time: 8:00am Registration; 9:00 AM Vessel Inspection; 10:00 Start – 1:00pm

GET READY. GET SET. GET CREATIVE. GO! 

Cardboard Derby is one of Sipapu’s most talked-about Family Friendly Family Fun events. Build your own vessel using ONLY cardboard, duct tape, string or twine, and paint. Race yourself or your team down the mountain for your chance to win one of our amazing prizes.

Watch as teams compete in vessels made entirely out of cardboard, string, and duct tape. Or, sign up yourself and participate in the fun. All it takes is some creativity, engineering skills, and courage.

Build your vessel before derby day.  Take as much time as you want to plan, design, and build.

Your derby vessel must consist of the following materials only:  cardboard, duct tape, string, twine, paint. Each vessel will be inspected by our judges at check-in to ensure that it complies with the rules.

Vessels will navigate the course one at a time.

Your objective is to successfully pilot your vessel down the course toward the scoring zone at the bottom. 

All participants must wear helmets.

Children under 6 must co-pilot with an adult. Sorry, children under 3 may not participate.

Each vessel may only be used by one participant or team.

For inspiration to build your vessel, check out the Sipapu Cardboard Derby video.

Cost:
$10 per vessel, collected on race day

Derby Divisions

Junior (ages 12 and under)
• Solo
• Team (up to 5 people)

Teen (ages 13-20)
• Solo
• Team (up to 5 people)

Adult (ages 21+)
• Solo
• Team (up to 5 people)

Cardboard Derby Rules

• The Objective: Successfully negotiate and complete the Cardboard Derby course with your vessel and all team members intact.
• All Cardboard Derby vessels must be constructed using ONLY these materials: cardboard, duct tape, string, twine, and paint. The use of any other materials will result in disqualification.
• Each Cardboard Derby vessel may be assigned to ONE individual or team ONLY. Example: If the Smith family team registers their vessel, the Sipapu Cardboardominator, it may not be used again in another division, or by another individual/team.

Judging

• Individuals and teams are awarded points based on how close they hit the bull’s eye at the end of the course, plus creativity of concept and design, plus enthusiasm.
• The vessel with the most points wins.

Prizes may also be awarded for any or all of the following:

• Funniest derby vessel name
• Largest derby vessel
• Loudest competitors
• Slowest vessel
• Most colorful derby vessel
• Most creative vessel
• Best costumes

Event Schedule

8:00 a.m. Day-of registration at Sipapu’s Base Area.
9:00 a.m. Individual and Team check-in. Vessel Inspection.
10:00 a.m. Mandatory participant meeting on the back patio of the Lodge
10:30 a.m. Annual Cardboard Derby start time.

Tips for building your derby racer:

• Sled-shaped vessels tend to get the best momentum — long and narrow.
• Duct-tape on the bottom of your vessel increases momentum.
• There are different kinds of cardboard.  The kind with plastic coating will slide better.
• Weight distribution matters.  The heavy part of the sled (wherever you are seated) will naturally “want” to be in front.  This means that rear-weighted vessels will tend to spin 180 degrees and send you down backwards.
• Adding “runners” to the bottom of your vessel may increase your speed by reducing surface friction with the snow.
• Weight = speed.  All other things being equal, adding bodies to your vessel will cause it to go faster.