The electric car races on the streets of Hood River are a true community event.
    With just one race a year, Saturday’s annual “Apple Cup” is a high-profile event. Streets are closed and parents and other supporters help out in big numbers, joined by plenty of students who come out on a Saturday to root for the drivers and the cars crafted by Hood River Valley High School students. (See article, page A1.)

Advisor Jeff Blackman has created a marvelous, hands-on learning experience for dozens of students.

The race is actually just a small part of the e-car club’s activities for the year; mostly it’s a behind-the-scenes program.

Dedicated students and advisors work hard in the shop in a trial-and-error process of designing and building vehicles that, while not intended to burn rubber and set land-speed records, are meant to run and keep running for an hour-long tour of the serpentine downtown course.

As reported on page A1, the Apple Cup did involve some crashes, including one that took Avi Maletz to the hospital. As of Tuesday, Avi is sore in the ribs but was back in school, reports his father, Jonathan Maletz.

The e-car program emphasizes learning and safety, but let’s take a deep breath on behalf of drivers such as Avi. The fact is, there are inherent dangers with relatively inexperienced drivers on city streets in vehicles of their own construction. And while Blackman and the students have plenty of help in monitoring the track and keeping spectators at a safe distance, there was at least one instance of a visiting parent who was hit by a car that did not quite make the hairpin turn at Industrial Way. (The woman fell but fortunately was not injured.)

To point this out is less a criticism of the Apple Cup race (for it was well-organized, and risks of this nature are part of the territory) than a reminder:

At any competitive event, be it kiteboarding, snowboarding, or this summer’s cycling events, it’s up to race officials and volunteers to work with spectators to make sure fun, and not fractures, is the byword of the day.

Meanwhile, the Apple Cup winners go to Eugene for their next race of the series on April 17. To those students, and to the parents, volunteers and local businesses and organizations that have supported the e-car program and race team throughout 2009-10, a tip of the helmet.