The Red Bull Flugtag, beginning at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 6 in Chicago, will take a group of Northlanders into a situation suited for a bird.
The event challenges teams to build a human-powered flying machine that can fly or glide off a 30-foot platform over Lake Michigan.
Team "Suck on This Darwin!," -- based out of Duluth -- will take its contraption and try to get it to fly ... or not.
"Honestly, we debated for awhile whether or not we wanted to try to get it to fly or if we just wanted a cool-looking craft ... we decided on a cool-looking craft," said team pilot Miranda McGuire, also a University of Minnesota Duluth student. "We expect it to pretty much nose-dive straight into Lake Michigan. But we're also keeping an open mind about the possibility of it flying. But how far would it go if we were lucky enough? I couldn't say."
The teams in the event are judged on distance, creativity and showmanship.
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"I am the pilot, which, in our situation, I only generate an entertaining fall, while the other four team members will just push me as hard and fast as possible," McGuire said.
McGuire will be helped teammates (Michelle Sundberg, a Duluth Business University student; Kalie Lindgren, a Lake Superior College student; Ashley Wirth, a University of Wisconsin-Superior student and Jen Brunette).
"Nervous" and "excited" are two words that could describe McGuire, and maybe her teammates.
"I personally am both," McGuire said. "I'm excited to go and meet all the teams and just see what it's like but I'm nervous because I have to drop 30 feet and I don't know the outcome. The other girls are very excited."
Suck on This Darwin! is one of 30 teams participating in the Red Bull Flugtag Chicago. For more information about the event, visit www.redbullflugtagusa.com .
There is a people's choice award on Sept. 6. Vote for team Suck on this Darwin! by texting "team #16" to 72855.
