Our UK team entered the Red Bull Soapbox Race to raise awareness about the importance of recycling drink cans, but they never imagined they’d end up on the podium! The Every Can Counts soapbox, costumes, and even their dance routine aimed to inspire people with the magic of can recycling, and they were blown away by the reception they received from the crowds at Ally Pally!
Chitty Chitty Can Can
Aptly named Chitty Chitty Can Can, following a public poll on Every Can Counts UK’s social media a few months ago, our soapbox was designed to look like a recycling collection truck with a stylish twist. Complete with an eye-catching paint job, chrome engine pipes and a fur interior to ensure that all eyes would be on our soapbox as it took to the track.
Her stunning exterior left spectators in awe, with commentators declaring her ‘the best soapbox [they’d] ever seen’.
Swapping the Office Wear for a Can Suit
Every aspect of the Every Can Counts soapbox entry—the costumes, the dance routine, and the beautiful soapbox—aimed to inspire people with the magic of can recycling. Every Can Counts UK Programme Manager, Chris Latham-Warde, took on the role of a magician and piloted the soapbox alongside his co-pilot and trusty sidekick, CanMan (also known as Executive Director of Alupro, Tom Giddings). Tom wore a homemade outfit made from more than 350 cans and was brought to life by our magician during the performance.
Paul Bacon and Lee Cox completed the four-person team as the expert engineers behind the recycling-themed racing machine. During the performance, they took on the vital role of ‘bin-men’ and assisted CanMan into the back of Chitty Chitty Can Can, ready to be taken down the track and recycled into a new drink can in just 60 days!
Creating a Sonic Boom
We’re thrilled that our team won the third this time, especially after coming 44th in their first attempt back in 2022! When asked about the speed of the Every Can Counts soapbox, our team claimed that Chitty Chitty Can Can reached speeds of “just under 1,000 miles per hour,” causing a “sonic boom” on the course.
Check out the full scores below:
-Creativity: 37/40
-Performance: 39/40
-Time: 43.24 seconds
About the Red Bull Soapbox Race at Ally Pally
Chitty Chitty Can Can was placed third in the legendary race that attracted thousands of spectators to Alexandra Palace on the 22nd of June.
Some facts about the Red Bull Soapbox Race:
The race challenges teams to design the craziest contraptions, relying solely on gravity to navigate the 420-metre downhill course. Participants are then judged on creativity, speed, and showmanship. In total, 59 teams came from all over the UK for the race, which was won by London-based The Hurry Houdini, with the Hoveraid crew from Cambridge in second place. Red Bull has held more than 100 races around the world since the original event in Brussels in 2000.
Click here to learn more about the other teams.