California Solar Regatta

An exciting two days of teamwork, competition and discovery takes place every year at our Rancho Seco Recreational Area.

SMUD’s fun, educational competition is open to all high schools, colleges and universities in California.

Working together in teams, students design, build and race their own solar-powered boats. They are judged for speed, distance, maneuverability and more. Students get hands-on, out-of-the-classroom experience with renewable energy and engineering.  

Do you have questions? We’re here to help.

Contact Community Education & Technology Center at etcmail@smud.org.


Apply now

View 2025 handbook

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May 3 – High school category

Regatta Cup Winner - Laguna Creek High School

Best Design, Artistic - Arcadia High School
Best Design, Technical - Arcadia High School
Best Design, Drive Train - Franklin High School
Best Design, Sustainability - Laguna Creek High School
Best Video - Del Campo High School
Leading by Example - Laguna Creek High School
Endurance - Laguna Creek High School
Presentation - Laguna Creek High School
Slalom - Del Campo High School
Speed - Laguna Creek High School


Participating high schools:

  • Arcadia High School
  • Ceres High School
  • Cordova High School
  • Del Campo High School
  • Franklin High School
  • Hiram Johnson High School
  • Laguna Creek High School
  • Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology
  • Natomas High School
  • Sacramento Country Day School
  • School of Engineering and Sciences

 

May 4 – College category

Regatta Cup Winner - San Joaquin Delta College

Best Design, Artistic - San Joaquin Delta College
Best Design, Technical - San Joaquin Delta College
Best Design, Drive Train - City College of San Francisco
Best Design, Sustainability - University of California, Riverside
Best Video - California State University, Chico
Leading by Example - San Joaquin Delta College
Endurance - San Joaquin Delta College
Presentation - San Joaquin Delta College
Slalom - City College of San Francisco
Speed - City College of San Francisco

 

Participating colleges:

  • California State University, Chico
  • Chabot College
  • City College of San Francisco
  • San Joaquin Delta College
  • University of California, Riverside
  • University of the Pacific

May 5 – High school category

Regatta Cup Winner - School of Engineering and Sciences

Artistic - Arcadia High School
Best Design - School of Engineering and Sciences
Best Drive Train - Arcadia High School
Best Video - Cordova High School
Endurance - Laguna Creek High School
Leading by Example - Grant Union High School
Presentation - School of Engineering and Sciences
Slalom - School of Engineering and Sciences
Speed - Laguna Creek High School
Sustainable - School of Engineering and Sciences
Technical - Arcadia High School

 

Participating high schools:

  • Arcadia High School
  • Ceres High School
  • Cordova High School
  • Del Campo High School
  • Florin High School
  • Franklin High School
  • Laguna Creek High School
  • Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology
  • Sacramento Country Day School
  • School of Engineering and Sciences

 

May 6 – College category

Regatta Cup Winner - City College of San Francisco

Artistic - Sonoma State University
Best Design - City College of San Francisco
Best Drive Train - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Best Video - City College of San Francisco
Endurance - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Leading by Example - San Joaquin Delta College
Presentation - San Joaquin Delta College
Slalom - San Joaquin Delta College
Speed - City College of San Francisco
Sustainability - City College of San Francisco
Technical - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

 

Participating colleges:

  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
  • Chabot College
  • Chico State
  • City College of San Francisco
  • Cosumnes River College
  • San Joaquin Delta College
  • Skyline College
  • Sonoma State University
 

May 13 – High school category

Regatta Cup Winner - Laguna Creek High School

Artistic - Rancho Cordova High School
Best Drive Train - Arcadia High School
Best Video - Ceres High School
Endurance - Laguna Creek High School
Leading by Example - Arcadia High School
Presentation - Grant High School
Slalom - Laguna Creek High School
Speed - Laguna Creek High School
Sustainability - John F. Kennedy High School
Technical - Merlo Academy High School

Participating high schools:

  • Arcadia High School
  • Ceres High School
  • Country Day School
  • Florin High School
  • Grant High School
  • John F. Kennedy High School
  • Laguna Creek High School
  • Merlo Academy High School
  • Rancho Cordova High School
  • School of Engineering and Sciences

May 14 – College category

Regatta Cup Winner - San Francisco City College

Artistic - San Francisco City College
Best Drive Train - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Best Video - San Francisco City College
Endurance - San Francisco City College
Leading by Example - California State University Chico
Presentation - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Slalom - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Speed - San Joaquin Delta College
Sustainability - Sonoma State University
Technical - San Francisco City College

Participating colleges:

  • Bakersfield College
  • California State University Chico
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
  • Chabot College
  • San Joaquin Delta College
  • California State University, Maritime Academy
  • Ohlone College (no show)
  • San Francisco City College
  • Skyline College
  • Sonoma State University
 

May 3 – Prep category

Regatta Cup Winner- Laguna Creek High School

Artistic -  Leonardo Da Vinci
Best Drive Train -  Boy Scouts
Best Video - School of Engineering and Sciences
Endurance - Arcadia High School
Leading by Example - 16 Pasteur Middle School
Presentation - Folsom High School
Slalom - Laguna Creek High School
Speed - Leonardo Da Vinci
Sustainability - School of Engineering and Sciences
Technical - Arcadia High School

 

May 4 – College category 

Regatta Cup Winner - San Francisco City College

Artistic - Humboldt State University
Best Drive Train-San Francisco City College
Best Video - San Francisco City College
Endurance - Cosumnes River College
Leading by Example - Ohlone Community College (#4 Sonoma State University and #9 Laguna Creek High School also)
Presentation - San Francisco City College
Slalom - Cosumnes River College
Speed - San Francisco City College
Sustainability - San Francisco City College
Technical -  Ohlone Community College

 

 

 

May 4 – Prep category

Regatta Cup Winner – Arcadia High School

Artistic – Arcadia High School
Best Design, Drive Train – Ceres High School
Best Video – Pasteur Middle School
Boat Design – Ceres High School
Endurance – Laguna Creek High School
Judges Choice – Granite Bay High School
Leading by Example – Pasteur Middle School
Presentation – Granite Bay High School
Slalom – Boy Scout Troop 55
Speed – Boy Scout Troop 55
Spirit Award – School of Engineering and Sciences
Sustainability – BSA Boaters
Technical – Arcadia High School

May 5 – College category

Regatta Cup Winner – San Francisco City College

Artistic – UC Davis
Best Design, Drive Train – College of the Sequoias
Best Video – San Francisco City College
Boat Design – UC Davis
Endurance – College of the Sequoias
Judges Choice – Contra Costa College
Presentation – San Francisco City College
Slalom – San Francisco City College
Speed – Cosumnes River College
Spirit Award – UC Davis
Sustainability – San Francisco City College
Technical – UC Davis