Navigating Nationals
Participation details are outlined below.
Schedule By Day
Sunday, May 14th
Arrival Day!
We encourage teams to arrive on Sunday, aiming to make it to Balch Fieldhouse to check-in between 3PM-6PM.
At check-in the following will happen:
- You'll tell us that you are here! Woohoo!
- You'll get lots of goodies and materials related to the competition.
- You'll find your table area and can get started setting up your turbine and/or solar structure.
- From 4PM-6PM, our wind tunnels will be open for pre-competition tunnel testing.
- The earlier you arrive, the faster you'll get your turbine set-up, and the more runs you'll get in each tunnel!
Monday, May 15th
Competition Day 1!
We'll begin our competition at the Kick-off at 8:30AM on Monday morning. We suggest you arrive around 8:00AM so that you have plenty of time to get settled at your table area. Teams that did not check-in on Sunday will need to check-in with Meghan as soon as they arrive to get their name badges. Our tunnels and the scheduled competition elements will begin promptly at 9AM.
- 8:30AM: Kick-off
- 9AM-6PM: Tunnels Open + Schedule Elements
Tuesday, May 16th
Competition Day 2!
- 8AM: Doors Open
- 9AM-6PM: Tunnels Open + Schedule elements
- 12-1:30pm: Pizza Party! (Teams and coaches)
- 12:30-1:15pm: CWC/KidWind Joint Instant Challenge (optional)
- 6-8pm: Team Party! (details to be announced)
Wednesday, May 17th
Closing Day!
- 8:30-11AM: Judges Callbacks + Tunnel Testing (through 10:30am)
- 8:30-11AM: Optional Tour of NREL Flatirons campus
- 12PM-1:30PM: Award Ceremony
- 1:30-3PM: Pack-out + Goodbyes!
Resources
Attendee Checklist
Be sure you do the following before coming to Nationals!
- Register your team (see your official invitation for the registration link!)
- Checkout the Nationals website and our Nationals FAQ
- Start a fundraising campaign
- Book your travel
- Book your hotel
- Refine your turbine and figure out how to make it yaw (MS and HS teams, only)
- Decide if you are going to participate in the Fixed Bottom Offshore Wind Challenge
- Plan how you'll get your turbine(s) to Boulder
- Bonus Point 1: Submit your Team Profile Form
- Bonus Point 2: Submit your final attendee list
- RSVP for other events!
Lodging
We suggest you book a hotel that is walking distance to the Balch Fieldhouse.
Our hotel blocks in Boulder are now full. Please contact Zella at zella@kidwind.org with any questions about finding accommodations for Nationals.
Airport Transportation
There are public transportation options and private shuttle services to travel to and from the airport and the competition in Boulder. The light rail A Line departs to and from DIA every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the early morning and late evening. The SkyRide buses depart each stop on an hourly basis throughout the day and into the evening. Find the best transportation option for your team below:
- Boulder guide to airport transportation
- Light rail A Line schedule
- SkyRide Bus Schedule Recommended Shuttle Services
- Eight Black Airport Shuttle - Contact Michele Pullo directly if you’d like to book a group shuttle at 720-263-0622 or michele@eightblack.com
- Green Ride Boulder - Contact Grace Davis directly at 720-352-9775 or grace@greenridecharterservices.com
Parking
If you are planning to drive to the venue each day, you can park at the Folsom Garage for a discounted rate of $10 per day. In order to access this rate, you must purchase a parking pass ONLINE for each day that you will be parking in the garage. You will not be able to purchase your parking passes at the garage, you must to do online. The system will make these passes available to purchase starting on Friday, May 12th.
To purchase your daily parking pass follow these directions:
- Go to the CU Parking website
- Select "Online Services" from the top right corner of site
- Select "Purchase Event Parking"
- Select "Other Event"
- Select "KidWind KW"
- Select "Lot 391 $10" (it will be the only option)
- Select "391 Event Parking" (it will be the only option)
- Add your Vehicle Information (click add vehicle button to add information)
- Check out and pay