Fast feet guide chariots

It was “awesomes” all around on Saturday after Polson’s own Cub Scout Pack 4945 took second place in the Webelo (We Will Be Loyal Scouts) chariot race competition held at Polson High School.

The “Hungry People” team was made up of five Polson Scouts who raced their chariot around the gym three times for some of the day’s fastest times.

More than 12 chariots entered the races throughout the afternoon. The event brought representatives from the entire Silver Tip Scout District (Thompson Falls, Plains, Mission, Ronan and Polson) to compete. Each pack helped in different ways to put on the races. Pack 1940 collected food donations for the Loaves and Fishes food bank and held a clothing exchange. Boy Scout members also helped time and judge each race for the Cubs.

The homemade chariots are cut from large cardboard boxes to resemble a sled. The bottom is lined with a towel to make for easy gliding as four “horses” use reins to pull one rider as fast as possible through the course.

The members of the Hungry People said before the race they’d learned from last year’s runs and had a plan to win this year.

“We put the strongest  people on the front and the least weighing goes inside,” Justin Jones, a front “horse,” said.

The “least weighing” was scout Ethan Tolley, who was a rider last year as well. Ethan also was a horse for another Wolf team.

As a rider, Ethan’s job was simple, as Justin saw it: “You just hold onto the ropes and hope you don’t fall out.”

 Other horses were Harley Shepard, Ryan Lamphere and Noah Robbins.

Most of this team also competed last year. Tolley said wasn’t nervous to crouch down inside the chariot and be pulled because he did it last year.

A contentious call last year disqualified the Hungry People. According to Justin, Ethan flew one foot in the air during the pull. Justin and Ethan both thought he’d hung on enough to be in the chariot at the end, but the judges ruled him out.

This year, all three races were tight, but the Hungry People drove their chariot through three races against other Webelo teams. Ethan did a good job of hanging on and wasn’t bucked out of his seat this year.

They did this all without any practice in a chariot that Justin said the pack has had for about five years.

This year’s model was updated with a new paint job. One side featured a Hawaiian ocean scene. The other had a wolf and bear on it, each painted by the pack.

A list of 16 rules guide the chariot teams, which race once around the gym. Proper shoes must be worn and riders mush wear helmets. The rider must also be in the chariot when it crosses the finish line.

Ronan had two packs represented at the races.

All scouts received participation ribbons and a segment to pin on their vests. Chariot races is an extracurricular activity, which means scouts can’t earn a badge for them.