(Left to right) CIL Managing Director Mr Brian W. Jermyn, CIL Director Jackie Malone, BMSA's Alexis N. Thomas and CIL Director Simone T. Monsanto following a press conference to launch the October 19, 2014 soap box derby. Photo: VINO

A pair of soap box derby cars from a previous event. Photo: Provided

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The BVI Motor Racing Association (BMSA) in collaboration with Caribbean Insurers Limited (CIL) will be hosting a soap box derby for children ages 7 to 16 at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) on October 19, 2014.

The event will run downhill from the Roundabout at the college to a specified finish line. There will be two lanes and two racers will run at a time.

Teams will consist of a person to push the car at the start and a driver. The minimum driver age for participation is 7 and the maximum age is 16.

The event will be run as a knock out competition over a series of runs, with the times of each heat being recorded.

“Here at Caribbean Insurers Limited we like to focus on local events…we really like to focus on events that involve children and families. So what we have done is we are going to be partnering with the BVI Motorsports Association. We will be putting on a soap box derby on October 19, 2014 at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College,” said CIL Managing Director Mr Brian W. Jermyn, speaking at the launch of the event yesterday August 14, 2014.

Noting that the soap box derby is a very popular family sport in North America, Jermyn said that the soap box racer is essentially a gravity-powered car, which uses a hill or a ramp to propel it down a race course. “The cars don’t have any motors or batteries and there are certain specifications which the car must be built to,” he said.

“Why we want to do this? It is basically giving kids here in the BVI something else to do, to focus their energy on. It takes them away from watching TV or being on their computers or video games. Hopefully it gives them some hands on experience, get them to work with their family and friends and put together a project from start to finish, something to take pride in,” he said.

Noting that the derby will be sure to foster some friendly competition among friends, family and other people in the Virgin Islands, he said, “We really encourage parents to help their children with this project. We don’t expect the children to do it on their own…we welcome assistance from parents. We also ask the parents and children interested in this to try and encourage other people.”

We are also going to approach some of the schools and youth groups if there is an interest in getting a group of people together to sponsor a team or put in an entry so that we would get as many people as possible,” he said.

Mr Alexis N. Thomas of the BVI Motorsports Association (BMSA) and the President of the committee responsible for the soap box derby explained that there will be several categories within which they will be looking at creativity and design.

He said that the committee is still working on fine tuning the rules regarding points and deduction of same for failing to meet the criteria for the competition.

Further details regarding the rules for the event can be found on the Caribbean Insurers Limited website at www.caribbeaninsurers.com.