Who won the cardboard races at Wauconda's Street Dance festival?
Was there a doubt which vessel would take the prize Saturday at the annual cardboard boat races at Lindy's Landing marina on Bangs Lake in Wauconda?
The four team members of Point of Sale Remarketing Group thought not and sailed to the victory in the business category.
For the second consecutive year, the team composed of Tony Pristera, Derek Lovell, George Chalifoux and Mike Carrera made it look easy.
"It was a 10-day to two-weeks boat preparation," quipped Chalifoux, captain of the crew that has a shop just down the street. "We're serious about it."
The prize?
"A $200 gift card and you get to drink from this," Chalifoux said, hoisting the trophy.
The event raised funds for the Bangs Lake Advisory Committee, which maintains and restores Bangs Lake. The races featured prizes, trophies and awards for those finishing first, second and third in the various categories.
Local dignitaries and members of the Bangs Lake Advisory Committee inspected each boat before the race to ensure it was safe and not built with anything other than cardboard and duct tape.
Other winners were Team Jaws in the adult division and USS Nuts in the children's division. Pointof Sale also won an award for best dressed, with Lindy's Landing taking the best sinking of a boat award. Tuefel Hunden won in best team spirit, and Bliss captured the best design and theme.
The boat race has become a familiar part of the Street Dance celebration on Main Street downtown. That 16th annual event featured activities for kids, and food and beverages from 16 vendors. Entertainment featured 11 bands on three stages from 4 to 11 p.m.
"When I took over three years ago it was one band on one side," said Rusty Ducharme, who chairs the event intended to feature local businesses for the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce. About 3,500 people visited last year.
"This is not a moneymaker for us. It's more of a break even," he said.
For a second year, the event featured water fights between teams from about a dozen area fire departments.
"A lot of these other guys, they practice," said Tim Marchel, a firefighter/paramedic with the Wauconda Fire District. "It's fun. It's the preamble to Street Dance."