The pilot who became the youth ambassador of the hackathon “Portathon” wants to inspire young people to create a vigorous maritime Lithuania through advanced solutions that are also relevant to him.
Lithuanian pilot Edgaras Riabko, who has become the two-time World Water Formula F2 champion and is ambitiously preparing for new starts, is an inspiration not only for those who aspire to sporting heights, but also for technology enthusiasts. This year, the racer became the youth ambassador of the international port technology hackathon “Portathon” held in Klaipėda and invites participants on October 6-8. to test the limits of time and one’s capabilities and to promote the name of maritime Lithuania in the international arena.
Race of 100 Innovators
“Portathon” has become an important event for the generation of marine technologies not only in Klaipėda, but also outside of it. The hackathon brings together about 100 innovators every year, in whose ranks you can meet representatives from various European countries, as well as Asia and the Middle East.
In Klaipėda and those connecting remotely hackers dedicates 48 hours to generating solutions. Challenges for the participants of the hackathon are traditionally provided by the maritime business, representatives of local governments and other fields also get involved. The main thematic directions of the challenges are logistics, energy, sustainable environment of ports, port cities and ecosystems, digital solutions for the maritime industry.
Looking forward to returning to Klaipėda
The water formula engines roaring in the port city this summer have drawn many eyes to this sport. Although E. Riabkos, who participated in the World Water Formula Championship stage held in Klaipėda, was not accompanied by a prize place this time, the pilot, who was heavily involved in the organizational kitchen of this event, assures that he took away great impressions from the seaside. “I am very satisfied with the event. It was difficult, but worth organizing it. The existing infrastructure in Klaipėda is very suitable for such competitions”, said the racer.
According to Karolis Ramoškas, the team manager and the president of the Lithuanian Technical Sports Federations Association, the organizational work took a lot of time and energy from Edgar, so the sports results suffered. “The first time is always difficult. Edgar’s work will be done by other people the second time the competition is held in Klaipėda. There are 2 more stages left in Portugal, our team’s goals for participating in them are only the highest – to get on the podium. Already at the beginning of September, we will start preparations for 2024. for the F2 World Championship in Klaipėda”, said K. Ramoška.
The power of teamwork
E. Riabko, who became the youth ambassador of Portathon, knows perfectly well what teamwork is, which is extremely important both in hackathons and in achieving the desired result in sports or creating an impressive event experience. About 250 people – three large teams of professionals from different fields – served the championship held at the Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal and took care of its success. Each water formula also has its own team – in Edgar’s case, 12 people work in it. The athlete is assisted by two main mechanics who take care of the engine, an electrician is responsible for the entire installation of the formula, and one specialist supervises the engine remotely. 2-3 auxiliary members of the team push, keep the formula on the start, take it to the competition. “Radiomenas – this is the person who is next to the judges and maintains radio contact with me and the team mechanics, there is also the team manager, three colleagues who work with the media, and also our jury representative who goes to protest meetings. Everyone has clear tasks and knows the work they have to do before or during the competition”, said E. Riabko.
In Portathon hackathons, teams consist of 3-5 participants, in whose ranks you can meet students, startups and teachers, IT, shipbuilding, transport and logistics specialists. Teams in Klaipėda and remotely working mentors – experts in different fields – help successfully drive the “cars” of hackathon solutions to the final pitch session.
Technology breeds security
Creativity, different competences and internationality – the hackathon combines all these, and also provides competitive adrenaline, as there is a clearly defined time for the generation of solutions. The final presentation should fit into 3 minutes, with another 2 minutes for questions. “These participants are real brain racers,” E.Riabko smiled.
Although speed records are not sought by water formula drivers in the F2 World Championship rounds, the excitement is an integral part of this competition. Behind the impressive maneuvers that heat up the audience’s blood, there is a huge amount of effort to ensure that everything goes safely. According to E.Riabkos, formula sport became safe in the long run from being very dangerous precisely because of the applied innovative technologies and the need to fulfill the greatly increased requirements in this type of competition.
The path of transformation is long and difficult. Last year, the World Motorboat Federation celebrated its 100th anniversary. “In the old days, the formulas were wooden, made of plywood. Now everything is made of Kevlar and carbon fiber composites. We are currently undergoing a revolution in our sport: we are starting to change from two-stroke engines to four-stroke engines. Electric prototypes are also being developed”, said E. Riabko.
The art of calculation and testing
The strong and lightweight formulas are built to soar above water in the air and simply stick to the turns like a train on rails. They can’t fly too easily, as they can tip over, and there would also be hazards on turns, so a lot of complex calculations and testing are done to make the formulas both fast and stable.
According to E. Riabko, the formula engine is not powerful in comparison – 200 hp, the small propeller sometimes surprises the spectators. A special set of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic properties allows the mass of the formula to fly extremely fast, even with a small propeller. “Of course, the most important moment is safety, so the formulas are equipped with capsules and crash box and air bag systems that ensure pilot safety in the event of an accident. My formula is made in Italy at the DAC formula factory. All technical maintenance is performed by Lithuanian mechanics in Kaunas. As far as financial resources allow, efforts are being made to renew all the devices inside,” E.Riabko taught.
Lots of room for innovation
Portathon’s youth ambassador is open: if there are technology enthusiasts who will take on the challenges of formula drivers, the innovators will have to seriously roll up their sleeves. “The first solution that I would need right now for myself is a good, light, inexpensive and waterproof power steering. It would also be very interesting to apply hydrogen gas to engines, ensuring their safe operation. I would like to create eco formulas, as fast as now, only ecological, under the name F0″, – said the pilot.
E.Riabko noted that he would also like to improve the timing system used by competition judges: “When the formulas pass, you just press the buttons – it’s already primitive. It would be high time to create an advanced system with sensors that determine the time, speed and other parameters of each formula, similar to how F1 drivers compete on the track.”
Capturing the startup gene
The organizers of the hackathon see the “Portathon” initiative as an important catalyst in order to grow Lithuania’s maritime innovation ecosystem. “This is where young talents meet experts in their fields, our knowledge and that of foreign partners merge, and a common denominator of value is discovered. The experience gained at the hackathon inspires the business not to be closed in its specialization, to become more open. For students, the hackathon can become a gateway to a further career, and for the most energetic, an opportunity to grasp innovation and the gene of a successful start-up”, said Andrius Sutnikas, head of the development of the Klaipėda Science and Technology Park.
European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius and a number of well-known representatives of the business and innovation ecosystem have expressed their support for the “Portathon” initiative, which was born in Klaipėda five years ago. “We have a Hackathon youth ambassador for the first time. On the one hand, Edgar represents a completely different field, but his example embodies masterful mastery of the water element through his talent, knowledge, and also technology. Such a personality is undoubtedly a landmark to be followed and a great inspiration, which our youth today very much needs,” A. Sutnikas is convinced.
The Portathon format gives port and maritime businesses the opportunity to improve processes or solve a specific problem. The organizers of the hackathon invite you to submit the challenges as soon as possible, the registration of participants and mentors is already in full swing.
Hackathon REGISTRATIONS
Registration of participants/teams: https://bit.ly/Portathon2023Participants
Mentor registration: https://bit.ly/Portathon2023Mentors
Challenge Registration: https://bit.ly/Portathon2023Challenges
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– 2024-04-07 22:10:44
