Clifty Engineering runs away with bed race
Angela Bornstein
Courier Staff Writer
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Members of the Sportsmanship
Award-winning Hard Body Gym and Cafe
stand by their overturned bed after a
collision with the River Valley
Financial Bank bed. (Staff photos by
Angela Bornstein). |
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The disco tunes had everyone grooving despite the hot,
humid atmosphere at last night’s Madison Regatta
Festival bed races.
For the first time in recent racing history, the winning
team accumulated a landslide point margin over the
competitors.
Because Clifty Engineering won 10 points in the parade
alone, it triumphed over Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corp.
“It’s always been close,” said announcer Bill Potter.
Clifty’s bed had an outdoor store theme, decorated with
an inflatable mattress and bicycle handles.
Hard Body Gym and Cafe won the Sportsmanship Award for
being first-time entrants in the event, but a collision
with the River Valley Financial Bank entry led to an
overturned bed and disqualification from the seventh
heat. It also eliminated Hard Body from the competition
because it had too many heat losses.
No one was seriously injured in the accident, which
began with Hard Body Gym and Cafe crossing the center
line and knocking over a cone, and ended with two of the
team’s runners on the ground. The mood of the audience
changed for a minute.
A voice from the crowd said, “I’ve seen people fall off
the beds. I’ve never seen one turn over like that.”
The announcer reminded onlookers that though the beds
appear to be under control, they can quickly become a
dangerous moving vehicle. People lining the route were
encouraged to take a small step back from the curb. Then
the music started again and the event was back on track.
Clifty Engineering suffered its first loss in the eighth
heat when Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corp. stepped up the
intensity and went full speed ahead to the finish line.
But Clifty’s team was determined and ready for a serious
showdown with IKEC. With fresh runners, Clifty was able
to inch ahead of IKEC in the photo-finish final heat.
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