Unsafe marine conditions cancel flugtag
The Red Bull Flugtag homemade flying machine contest scheduled to begin this morning at North Avenue Beach in Chicago has been canceled because of unsafe marine conditions, according to the event's website.
Strong north winds, significant waves 7 to 10 feet tall and occasional waves up to 15 feet are expected along the entire Lake Michigan shore in Illinois, according to the National Weather Service, which has issued a small craft advisory until 10 p.m. and a rip current statement for the area.
The Flugtag was to begin at 11 a.m. and run to 4 p.m. featuring teams that designed human-powered flying machines in the shape of mustaches, gorilla cages, baseball diamonds, Muppets and other creative forms. Teams push their plane off a pier with the winner being decided by the craft that flies furthest before splashing into the lake below.
The event has been held in Chicago in 2008 and 2003. About 75,000 spectators watched the 2008 Flugtag, which means “flying day” in German.
Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz organized the first Flugtag in Vienna in 1991. Since then it has been held more than 100 times worldwide. The next U.S. Red Bull Flugtag is scheduled for Sept. 15 in Philadelphia.