Okanagan College Media Release
   
He didn’t set a new world record but Roland Erdosi from the College of Nyiregyhaza in Hungary solidly earned the title of world champion at Okanagan College’s 27th annual Spaghetti Bridge Building Competition today in Kelowna.

The title was his to lose near the end of the competition after his heavyweight bridge shattered under 255 kilograms of pressure under the watchful eyes of an anxious Iranian team, who was yet to compete.

The Iranians from A.B.A. University were unable to top the Hungarian’s score – they earned second place after their bridge failed at 184 kilograms.

“We are happy to win second place,” said team captain Ashkan Mohammadvali. “We know we can do better next year and we would like to come back to try again.”

The team of Sasha Podalchuk, Brad Wall, Justin Franz and Spence Costigan - engineering technology students from Okanagan College - won third place with a bridge that held 68 kilograms. 



The Iranians did take home a first place trophy in the post-secondary category. In all categories other than the heavyweight, bridges are not loaded with increasing amounts of weight. Each bridge must hold a pre-determined amount of weight for a specific amount of time. The lightest bridge to hold the required weight wins.

Results are as follows:

Post-secondary individual:
First - Nima Mazaheri Namini, ABA University, Tehran, Iran - bridge weighed 168.9 g
Second - Tim Westwick, Okanagan College - bridge weighed 278.6 g

Post-secondary team:
First - Peter Sandor, Roland Erdosi and Katalin Kitti Kromplak, College of Nyiregyhaza, Hungary - bridge weighed 58.7 g

Second - Alesha Fell, Jamie Schenkeveld, Spencer Costigan and Mike Verhage, Okanagan College - bridge weighed 72.1 g

Secondary individual:
First - Luca Starone, Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby - bridge weighed 184 g

Second - Johnathan Halbgwachs, Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby - bridge weighed 190.2 g

Third - Anna Offenwanger, George Elliott Secondary, Winfield – bridge weighed 190.7 g

Secondary team:
First - Brock Pendergraft, Alex, McCallum, Tim Paradis and Chris Schroeter, Osoyoos Secondary - bridge weighed 59.4 g

Second - Shaun Saunders and Quinn Logan, Kelowna Secondary – bridge weighed 60.1 g

Third - Rob Gore, Arianna Ormond and Tom Hardy, Kelowna Secondary - bridge weighed 64.5