About us

The Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) is an annual event that challenges the creativity of engineering students. Since 1974 GNCTR has grown to include universities and technical schools from across Canada with occasional entries from the United States and Europe.

The project involves designing and constructing a toboggan with a metal frame and a running surface made completely out of concrete. The sled must weigh less than 300 pounds (136 kg), have a working braking system, working steering system and be fitted with a roll bar to protect its five passengers. Each competing team must complete a technical report summarizing the design, which is presented at a public technical exhibition.

Teams are judged on the design and performance of their toboggan in the categories of speed, steering, and braking. Aesthetics and sustainability are also factored into a toboggan's score. Team theme and spirit are scored at the competition. The team that accumulates the most points from all of these categories is crowned champion, and awarded the CSCE Cup.