We resume our coverage of the last 5 record breaking years with 1986.  The CD of all the buggy book scans is coming along nicely, and will be available on raceday.

1986 was a record setting year, but history was made on a number of fronts.  On day 1, ATO had a fire in their truck that came frighteningly close to a serious catastrophe that could have threatened the future of buggy.  The incident prompted school administration including Anne Witchner to convene a committee of alumni to create a new body of rules to protect the participants.  This work most likely saved buggy and provides the base of rules that still govern the sport.

After a dropping pushbar failure on hill 1 of their finals heat in 1985 took them out of contention, PiKA came back strong in ’86 to set the record at 2:08.67.

Alumni

The PiKA win was historic and their 4th of the decade, but a newcomer would factor heavily into it also being their last until the 90’s.  Spirit entered the race for the first time and finished 4th in men’s and winning women’s- immediately catching the attention of those in the know and foreshadowing the beginning of a new power structure in buggy.

Buggy Book 1986

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