Driven pupils bring home the trophies from Abu Dhabi final

A talented team of young women won prizes aplenty in the grand final of the Land Rover 4x4 In Schools Technology Challenge.
Epsilon Engineers at Denbigh SchoolEpsilon Engineers at Denbigh School
Epsilon Engineers at Denbigh School

Denbigh students Imogen Varga, Demi York, Kathryn Papadakis, Yasmin Loveland and Nia Schell are the Epsilon Engineers.

The team was one of only four UK teams out of the 25 who attended the World Finals in Abu Dhabi and it was the only all-female team.

The Epsilon Engineers won awards for Best Trailer Performance and for their commitment and participation as World Finalists. They also came second overall in the driving challenge.

The Land Rover 4x4 In Schools Technology Challenge is an educational programme which supports curriculum learning. Young engineers, aged between 11-19, spend several months designing, building and testing miniature remote-controlled four-wheel-drive vehicles for the two-day World Finals competition at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The challenge reflects Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and desire to recruit the next generation of engineers to design and develop future electric, connected and autonomous vehicles.

This year’s nail-biting edition tested the Epsilon Engineers’ specially-built scale model 4x4 vehicle in desert terrain and a city setting.

The students participated in two driving challenges, a trailer pull and a pit display. They also gave engineering talks and delivered a formal presentation.

Denbigh School headteacher Andy Squires said: “We are very proud of the girls at Denbigh. They have achieved so much, from attracting over £10,000 in sponsorship, to their remarkable capabilities in designing and building their 4x4 model car and out-performing most of the other countries’ teams. It is amazing what they were able to accomplish, once they had set their minds to it.”

“However, it was not all work and no play for the team, as they got the opportunity to visit the desert. In traditional headdresses, the team drove to a mock Bedouin village in vintage 1950s Land Rovers, where they were treated to a falconry talk and demonstration, followed by a 45-minute desert safari drive. They also sampled traditional food and enjoyed the desert sky with all its stars. What a fantastic way to end a well-fought competition.”

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