Red Stag takes out trolley grand prix (+video)

Rotorua's Red Stag Timber has won a $10,000 prize for taking out the Red Bull Trolley Grand Prix in Auckland today.

Today the 50 teams of the Red Bull Trolley Grand Prix showed off their handy work not only to the celebrity judges, but also to the 20,000 strong crowd that lined the race track and spilled over onto the grass front of the Auckland Museum.

When the scores were tallied and the race times were in, it was a unanimous decision that Rotorua's Red Stag Hunters were at the top of the podium with an incredibly fast time, a great skit and outstanding showmanship on the race track.

Not only was the team impeccably dressed in matching hunting outfits, their trolley was expertly crafted complete with a co-pilot who manned the hand crank, moving the exterior body of the trolley and bringing a giant red stag to life.

"What an awesome team, we've made something I'm really proud of and we're glad it's all turned out and we won on the day," a Red Stag Hunters team spokesman said.

"The competition was fierce, we didn't think we had a shot at it, but we did it and it was absolutely amazing."

Second place getters Intergalactic ilabb Wagon had their rocket packed and ready to take off to the moon, but before they reached orbit they managed to nudge out third place getters and 2013 champions Hillbilly Moonshine Racer.

Team Flatout Forktruck took out the Best Crash prize of a driving lesson with 'Mad' Mike Whiddett, when their rear wheel steer trolley took a horrendous spill only 20 metres out from the start line.

The Red Bull Trolley Grand Prix is a celebration of ingenuity and creativity. It's all about building crazy machines with friends and family, and is fast becoming a New Zealand institution.

* See tomorrow's Rotorua Daily Post for a full interview with Rotorua's winning team.