Potomac Local went to Signal Bay Water Park in Manassas Park on Labor Day for its 2nd annual Cardboard Boat Regatta. Eighteen children aged 6 to 15 competed in this year's competition. Labor Day marks the official end of the water park's season.
See the tournament in pictures:
Isabella Valdes, age 6, was the youngest competitor in the race. Despite her young age, Valdes had a respectable middle-of-the-pack run time of 8 minutes, 22 seconds. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Ruben Arredondo assists his daughter Isabelle, age 7, with her life jacket in front of their Star Wars themed boat. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Arredondo piloted a Star Wars Land Cruiser that Dad Ruben and brother Ian built for her. The Arredondo's are a military family based in Maryland. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Brian Syrota, age 7, from Manassas, piloted the Cyberboat Syrota, and his father, Uri, made the boat in an homage to Elon Musk's Cyber Truck. [Photo: Alan Gloss]
Hamish Elliott in the Pikachu boat grins at the final stretch of the race. Syrota in the cyber boat can be seen closing the distance. [Photo: Alan Gloss]As onlookers watch, Syrota is seen being assisted by a lifeguard. [Photo: Alan Gloss]
Syrota lands in the water after the third time his boat capsized. Syrota never gave up and finished the race. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Malani Hudson is assisted into her Rainbow Sunshine boat by lifeguards. Hudson's mom, Tiara of Stafford, formerly of Dale City, was seen making last-minute repairs to the boat moments before the launch. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Malani, age 8, expresses disapproval of her boat taking on water just feet from the gate. Mom said if she would have just used 'a little more tape,' that wouldn't have happened. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Jordan Alex, 9, a student at Yorkshire Elementary, is being assisted by Lifeguard Caiden Thompson. His boat was dubbed the Titanic after it immediately sank just out of the starting gate. Alex and his mother, Michelle, created the boat from a recycled plastic shopping tote. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Aleema Ahmad, 10, a homeschooler in Prince William County gets a pep talk from her mom Afra Ahmad before piloting the Aqua boat. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Ahmad used her quick thinking skills to turn her oar into paddles as the cardboard quickly disintegrated. [Photo: Alan Gloss]Julius Kalis and Reid Rylands ages 7, get last minute instructions from Chris Kalis before launching. The boys decked out in custom Navy uniforms piloted the double occupant Navy boat USS JR. [Photo: Alan Gloss]
