Whanganui UCOL students to get hands-on in effort to win car

Dealer principal at Wanganui Motors Mark Quirk with his hands on the prize. Photo / Bevan Conley

UCOL students are set for some sleepless nights as they stand around a car, holding at least one hand on it for as long as they possibly can.

Whoever outlasts their peers will be crowned the last student standing and will be the proud new owner of the 2005 Ford Fiesta.

The "hand on car competition" is part of UCOL Whanganui's 10-year campus celebration.

UCOL Whanganui campus manager Bronwyn Paul said she had heard of the competition being run, but never by a tertiary organisation.

"We looked at things that would be appealing to everybody and we thought a hand on car competition would be seriously appealing to students.

"It's a huge prize. It's really tough for students just to be students, let alone to worry about how they're going to save for a car."

Paul contacted Whanganui Motors and dealer principal Mark Quirk got on board, donating the Ford.

Students must be standing at all times, can't affix their hand to the car and will get one 15-minute break every four hours.

Applications are open for enrolled students at UCOL's Whanganui campus and close on Tuesday, July 31.

Paul said more than 50 students had signed up already.

"We're probably going to have to start off with something like a Ford Ranger, that will be big enough, until we get down to the final six competitors.

"Otherwise, we'll have to have two cars."

There will be four scrutineers at each car to keep a close eye on competitors, enforcing rules such as no smoking, drinking, harassing or interfering.

With the overwhelming number of applicants, Paul is on the lookout for more scrutineers who can contact her through UCOL.

The competition begins on-campus at 7pm on Friday, August 3 and on Saturday there will be a sausage sizzle and music playing to spur the students on.

"Everybody is super excited, some of them desperately need a car so they're doing it for that reason, others want to be in it for the competition or just to support their peers," Paul said.

"The ones who get through Saturday night will be the ones that are in the final count. We're prepared for the long haul."