Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest
The Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest was first held in 1980, but then not again until 1984 when it became an annual event and the Heavyweight contest was introduced. Over the years students from not only the Okanagan, BC and Canada have competed, but also students from the Netherlands, Iran and Hungary.
The 38th annual Spaghetti Bridge Building competition will be held at Okanagan College, Kelowna Campus on Friday, March 3, 2023.
Students are encouraged to enter the Post Secondary or Secondary school competitions where cash prizes are given for the lightest bridge that supports a predetermined weight. Bridges are built in advance and tested on the day of the competition.
For those who like to work in teams, try the Team Building Competition. All supplies and the rules are supplied on the day of the competition, and teams have two hours to complete the task. Cash prizes will be awarded for the most successful teams.
Please note: team builders are not permitted to bring any tools, templates, glue etc. to the competition.
Rules and General Information
38th Annual Student Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest – March 3, 2023
ENTRY FORMS
Entry forms are available in the registration section below. Please register no later than February 17, 2023.
REGISTRATION
The registration of the bridges will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 3, 2023 at the Kelowna Campus of Okanagan College (1000 KLO Road). Bridges arriving after 9:30 a.m. may not be accepted for competition. The loading and testing of the bridges will begin at approximately 10:30 a.m.
CONTESTS
Students may enter the following competitions:
Elementary School Students: Elementary School Demonstration (non-competition)
Middle and Secondary School Students: Secondary Competition; Team Building Competition; Heavyweight Competition
Post-Secondary Students: Team Building Competition; Heavyweight Competition
Elementary School Demonstration: students are encouraged to build a replica of the Lethbridge Viaduct, a steel trestle over the Oldman River, using suitable material such as pasta or popsicle sticks and glue. Students are also encouraged to create a poster that showcases the bridge they select. Students should work in teams and complete the bridge prior to the demonstration. Students will have an opportunity to present their bridges to the audience.
Secondary Competition: students work individually or in teams to build a spaghetti bridge capable of supporting 1 kg (see Secondary contest rules for details). Each bridge must be completed prior to the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest.
Team Building Competition: students work in teams of four to complete a spaghetti building task on the day of the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest. All materials are supplied at the contest and the building criteria and rules are only unveiled at the start of the Team Building Competition. Competition is divided between middle/secondary school students and post secondary school students.
Heavyweight Competition: students work individually or in teams to build a spaghetti bridge to support the maximum amount of weight possible (see Heavyweight contest rules for details). Each bridge must be completed prior to the Spaghetti Bridge Contest.
AWARDS
Secondary Competition: the five lightest bridges in each contest to survive the loading test will be ranked by weight and awarded prizes accordingly.
Team Building Competition: the top six finalists will be awarded prizes (first three places in each of the secondary school student and post secondary student divisions).
Heavyweight Competition: the top five bridges in terms of load supported during the loading test will be ranked according to maximum load and awarded prizes accordingly. In the case of identical load supported, preference will be given to the lighter bridge. To be eligible for a prize, the bridge must support at least 10 kg.
Note: One award only per builder in each division.
FURTHER INFORMATION
More information, entry forms and copies of the rules are available on the website: www.okanagan.bc.ca/spaghetti-bridge
or contact: Michelle Lowry, College Releations, Okanagan College Phone: 250-862-5473
Contest Schedule
| 8:30 - 10:30 a.m | Competitor check in |
| 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Team Building competition - teams build structures in the atrium and pit |
| 10 - 10:30 a.m. | Demonstrations of Elementary bridges in the theatre |
| 10:30 - 11:15 a.m. | Judging: Individual students’ pre-built bridges Secondary School division |
| 11:15 a.m. | Awards for Student Competition |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Judging: Team Building Competition Secondary and Post-Secondary School divisions |
| 12 p.m. | Awards for Team Building Competition |
| 12:15 p.m. | Judging/testing: Heavy Weight competition |
| 1 p.m. | Awards for Heavy Weight Competition |
For students in Grade 7-12 who work individually or in teams
Each bridge MUST be completed prior to the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest
For students in Grade 7 to post-secondary who work individually or in teams
Each bridge MUST be completed prior to the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest
Registration
This is a non-competition event for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6
Students are encouraged to build a replica of the Lethbridge Viaduct, a steel trestle over the Oldman River.
For students in Grade 7 - 12 who work individually or in teams
Each bridge MUST be completed prior to the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest
For students in Grade 7 to post-secondary who work individually or in teams
Each bridge MUST be completed prior to the Spaghetti Bridge Building Contest
For students in Grade 7 - 12 or post-secondary
Students work in teams of four to complete a spaghetti building task on the day of competition
All materials are supplied at the contest and the building criteria and rules are unveiled at the start of the competition
Spaghetti Bridge Building History
Heavyweight
2020 – 37th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Justin Dessert (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 845.27 grams and held 237.44 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - James Dessert (Okanagan College, Kelowna, BC) Bridge weighed 791.10 grams and held 177.85 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Keyvan Khadem, Harvir Mann, Ahmed Ramadan, Gavin Saini (UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, BC) Bridge weighed 992.10 grams and held 131.24 kg
2019 – 36th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - James Dessert (Okanagan College, Kelowna, BC) Bridge weighed 799.61 grams and held 137.94 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Justin Dessert (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 916.14 grams and held 128.55 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Stefan Trajkov, Luiz Fernandez and Shafat Ismail (Red River College, Winnipeg, MB) Bridge weighed 999.36 grams and held 114.99 kg
- 4th place ($100 GC to the OC Bookstore) - Joshua Greencorn and Riley Jackson (Anchor Academy) Bridge weighed 564.85 grams and held 12.01 kg
2018 – 35th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Justin Dessert and Hanya Riddick (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 784.4 grams and held 223.61 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - James Dessert (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 888.7 grams and held 159.39 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Keyvan Khadem, Gavin Saini, Ahmed Ramadan, Harvey Mann (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 999.2 grams and held 36.48 kg
2017 – 34th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Justin Dessert and Hanya Riddick (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 995.7grams and held 255.06 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - James Dessert (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 835.6 grams and held 207.29 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Ephraim Nowak and Raphael Nowak (UBC Okanagan) Bridge weighed 911.4 grams and held 120.58 kg
2016 – 33rd Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Anna Offenwanger and Ephraim Nowak (UBC Okanagan) Bridge weighed 974.3 grams and held 184.3 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - James Dessert (Grade 10, Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 989.06 grams and held 128.3 kg
2015 – 32nd Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Adrian Schartner (Grade 7, home-schooled, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 982.6 grams and held 275.6 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) -Brendan Mattenley (Grade 10, Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 989.7 grams and held 193.7 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - James Dessert (Grade 9, Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 909.9 grams and held 171.8 kg
2014 – 31st Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - James Dessert (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 994.99 grams and held 112.58 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Glenn Watson, Shaun Bliss, Eric Chovancak (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 970.64 grams and held 70.92 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Brendan Mattenley (Charles bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 962.44 grams and held 63.10 kg
2013 – 30th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Shawn Bliss, Aaron Watson, Cody Pointner, Erik Fountain and Glenn Watson (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 966.24 grams and held 195.99 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Christien Issler (Charles Bloom Secondary, Lumby, BC) Bridge weighed 987.91 grams and held 162.48 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Dean Omgren, Cody Warren, Ryan Blackburn and Cindal McCabe (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 858.81 grams and held 149.75 kg
- 4th place ($100 Okanagan College Bookstore gift certificate) - Deryck Irmen, Leigh Huddart, Gina Major, Joshua Verhage and Matt Klassen (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 907.09 grams and held 65 kg
- 5th place ($50 Okanagan College Bookstore gift certificate) - Andrew Brabandt, Darren Dyck, Jazz Aung and Jason Lotoski (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 812.7 kg and held 55.57 kg
2012 – 29th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Peter Sandor (College of Nyiregyhaza, Hungary) Bridge weighed 967.24 grams and held 384.09 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Jordan Hipkiss and Joel Peters (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 999.9 grams and held 129.13 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Clayton Mazu (Cherryville) Bridge weighed 999.5 grams and held 127.41 kg
- 4th place ($100 Okanagan College Bookstore gift certificate) - Rebecca Brooks and Sandy King (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 957.49 gams and held 81.75 kg
2011 – 28th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Johnathan Halbgwachs (Charles Bloom Scondary) Bridge weighed 965.6 grams and held 209.34 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Chad Marsh, Rajveer Dhillon, Cory Konkin, Tyler Weise (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 819.12 grams and held 160.15 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Peter Sandor (College of Nyiregyhaza, Hungary) Bridge weighed 974.8 grams and held 152.35 kg
- 4th place (Okanagan College Bookstore gift certificate) - Patrick D'amour, Jeff Earl, Scott Juniper, Jarod Kawalle (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 974.35 grams and held 123.78 kg
- 5th place (Okanagan College Bookstore gift certificate) - Sean Potter, Brad Heard, Colm Friar, Clint Bannister (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 935.55 gramd and held 109.65 kg
2010 – 27th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Roland Erdosi (College of Nyiregyhaza, Hungary) Bridge weighed 995.8 grams and held 255.63 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Mohammadvali Ashkan, Ghazaleh Omidvar, Ghazaleh Hosseini and Mohammad Mazaheri (ABA University, Iran) Bridge weighed 886.7 grams and held 184.3 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Sasha Podolchak, Justin Franz, Brad Wall & Spence Costigan (Okanagan College, Kelowna) Bridge weighed 956.9 grams and held 68.43 kg
2009 – 26th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Norbert Pozsonyi & Aliz Totivan (Szechenyi Istvan University of Gyor, Hungary) Bridge weighed 982 grams and held 443.58 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Brendon Syryda and Tyler Pearson (Okanagan College) Bridge weighed 982 grams and held 98.71 kg
2008 – 25th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Bala'zs Botka (Budapest Polytechnic, Hungary) Bridge weighed 994.9 grams and held 352.62 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Norbert Pozsonyi & Aliz Totivan (Szechenyi Istvan University of Gyor, Hungary) Bridge weighed 1000 grams and held 350.67 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Szilard Markos (Budapest Polytechnic, Hungary) Bridge weighed 997.3 grams and held 310.75 kg
2007 – 24th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Bala’zs Botka and Sa’ndor Kurucz (Budapest Polytechnic, Hungary) Bridge held 255.7 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Clint Stibbard (KLO Middle School) Bridge held 12.15 kg
2006 – 23rd Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Varga Gyula Balazs (Budapest, Hungary) Bridge held 226.96 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Balazs Vida (Hungary) Bridge held 101.77 kg
2005 – 22nd Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Andras Koves (Budapest, Hungary) Bridge held 257.33 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Mark Woodward (Okanagan University College) Bridge held 229.96 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Balazs Miovacz (Budapest, Hungary) Bridge held 88.69 kg
2004 – 21st Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
- 1st place ($1,500) - Matyas Kutyik (Budapest, Hungary). Bridge held 256.13 kg
- 2nd place ($1,000) - Hamideh Abolghasemi Riseh (Tehran, Iran). Bridge held 19.17 kg
- 3rd place ($500) - Richard Halley (Sicamous, BC). Bridge held 15.84 kg
2000 - 17th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Twelfth World Open Heavyweight Contest
Bob Williams, who makes his living as pastor of a small church in Clyde, Alberta broke his own record for spaghetti bridge weight bearing with a structure that held just over 180 kilograms. His previous record was 175 kilograms set in 1988. The winning bridge weighed 742 grams.
- 1st place ($1,000) - Bob Williams (Clyde, Alberta)
- 2nd place ($300) - Lincoln Miller (Kelowna, BC)
1998 - 15th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Eleventh World Open Heavyweight Contest
- 1st place ($500) - Lincoln Miller (Kelowna, BC)
- 2nd place ($25) - Bob Williams (Clyde, Alberta)
- 3rd place ($150) - Winn Kemper (Lumby, BC)
1997 - 14th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Tenth World Open Heavyweight Contest
- 1st place ($500) - Ryan Meise (OUC, Enderby, BC)
- 2nd place ($400) - Dorian Boswell (OUC, Vernon, BC)
- 3rd place ($300) - Jason Brett (UBC, Penticton, BC)
- 4th place ($200) - Nathan Chan (Vernon, BC)
- 5th place ($100) - Ramen Jassi (Vernon, BC)
- 6th place ($50) - Brent Neufeld (OUC, Kelowna, BC)
1996 - 13th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Ninth Open World Heavyweight Contest
This year featured a complete overhaul of Heavyweight rules. The contest became a time-limited, "build on site" competition, to encourage more student entries. Materials were supplied by OUC (eliminating 'homemade' or imported pastas), and required all builders to face the same building and material conditions.
Lincoln Miller gained the top "World Open Heavyweight" contest prize of $500 from the Applied Science Technicians and Technologists of BC for putting together a bridge that took a load of 50 kilos (110 pounds), in five hours of building time. Winning for the third time in eight years, Miller also won a flight for two from Canadian Regional Airlines.
A bridge by defending champion, Bob Williams of Clyde, Alberta, was disqualified for excess weight. When tested, his bridge failed under a 10 kilo load.
OUC Physics students Dorian Boswell and Ryan Meise finished second and third, respectively. Boswell's bridge went out under a 45 kilo load, while Meise was eliminated when his bridge crashed under a load of 24 kilos.
1995 – 12th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Eighth World Open Heavyweight Contest
An attempt on the 1993 Heavyweight record load fell short. Record holder Bob Williams of Lumby, BC, missed a chance to surpass his 1993 mark of 176 kilos (388 pounds) at the climax of the event. Defending heavyweight champion Lincoln Miller, who won in 1994 at a load of 131.7 kilos (290 pounds), this year fell to second place. Miller's 1995 entry failed at 119 kg. (262 pounds), leaving Williams' bridge the sole survivor. Williams asked to challenge his existing record. Loaded with 200 kilos (440 pounds), Williams "Flex X" bridge splintered.
Another Lumby, BC contestant, Winn Kemper, finished in third place with a load of 99.4 kg (219 pounds). OUC Civil Engineering student Casidy Noble finished in fourth place and had the best student entry.
"We all wanted Bob to have the chance at his 1993 mark, but the jump from 120 kg to 200 is huge," said Garry Gaudet, one of several contest organizers. "The bridge did hold the weight for just a second, but then that awful tearing sound came and it crumbled."
The Heavyweight division had twelve entries. In this division, bridges weighing no more than 750 grams are subjected to increasing loads until just one bridge remains.
1994 - 11th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Seventh World Open Heavyweight Contest
A shocker, as defending champion Bob Williams was defeated by former champion Lincoln Miller. Williams' bridge failed at Miller's winning load of 131.7 kilograms. The good news for Williams - his 1993 record still stood, as contest officials chose not to test the winning bridge under greater loads. The World Open has now had two wins each by Miller, Jennens and Williams, with a tie declared between Jennens and Miller in 1988. Sponsorship as in 1993. Sandman Hotels also contributed a Weekend package for two for first prize in the Heavyweight division.
1993 - 10th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Sixth World Open Heavyweight Contest
Bob Williams of Lumby, near Vernon, repeated his feat of '92, with a 741 g. bridge taking a record load of 176 k. (388.2 lb).
1992 - 9th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Fifth World Open Heavyweight Contest
Ripley's "Believe it or Not" became a co-sponsor after running an international cartoon on the contest (420 newspapers, 17 languages around the world). Ripley's bought previous OUC heavyweight winning bridges for their museums in Mexico City, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Yarmouth, England.
A stunning upset occured, with Bob Williams, a Lumby pastor, inventor and school bus driver entering two bridges. His best bridge, at a mass of 745.3 grams, held a 173.5 kg load (382 lb), while his second-best failed at that level after holding 159 kg. His success partly came form partially cooking and stretching some strands, and from adopting the popular "most functional" underslung configuration.
1991 – 8th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Fourth World Open Heavyweight Contest
Twenty-six heavyweight bridges were entered. After nine rounds, Colin Reece and Lincoln Miller bridges failed (103 kg./226.6 lb). Both given credit for their best weight held, 92 kg. Rick Jennens asked for permission to challenge his own existing record with one extra load and successfully supported load of 124.4 kg (274 lb).
1990 – 7th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Third World Open Heavyweight Contest
Thirty-five heavyweight bridges were entered. The contest went 12 rounds. Rick Jennens defeated Colin Reece at 100 kg. Jennens' 747 gram bridge survived a load of 120 kg (264 lb) for a new record. Reece credited with second place at 91 kg (200 lb).
1989 – 6th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
Second World Open Heavyweight Contest
U-bolt loading platforms introduced to overcome the problem of hooks unable to bear loads of more than 100 lb (47 kilograms). Four heavyweights including two entries by Rick Jennens survived loads of 200 pounds. First place was awarded to Lincoln Miller (supported 113.9 kg; 252 lb. load; bridge mass 719.4 g).
1988 – 5th Annual Spaghetti Bridge Competition
First World Open Heavyweight Contest
The first World Open Heavyweight Bridge Contest was sponsored by ASTTBC and Canadian Airlines. The mass of the bridge was limited to 750 grams, including loading hardware. Loads were applied for 10 seconds in discrete increments. 27 bridges were entered and tested.
At 47.2 kg (104 pounds) the loading hooks bent straight, making further loading impossible. A first place tie was declared between Rick Jennens and Lincoln Miller. The "Spectacular World of Guinness TV Records" (David Frost) from Los Angeles made a feature on the contest, seen world-wide over the next two years.