As freshmen Brett LaFave, Christopher Weber and Mitch Nielsen drove a 30-foot Sparky into Tempe Town Lake Saturday, they were hoping to fly.
But the ASU mascot only managed a belly flop.
"The Dipsomaniacal Devil," as it was called, was the first competitor in Red Bull Flugtag Arizona, a flying competition where 29 teams piloted homemade crafts off a 30-foot ramp into the lake. This was the first time the event was held in Tempe.
The "Dipsomaniacal Devil" team designed a hang glider that was supposed to fly off the top of Sparky's head, but the team could not get the glider to work and was forced to ditch it.
Despite setbacks, the "Dipsomaniacal Devil" did manage to win the Most Creative award.
"Fork Em," another craft made by ASU students, also saw disappointment on Saturday.
"We expected to go a lot farther," said kinesiology junior Calli Pisel, a member of ASU's rugby team.
The team was the only all- female team in Saturday's competition.
None of the ASU teams were able to snag a place in the top three. Entries were judged on distance, creativity and showmanship.
"The Need for Speed," a jet resembling the one Tom Cruise flew in "Top Gun," won first place in the competition after receiving a perfect score from the judges.
Second place went to "Air Farce One" of Salt Lake City and third place went to "El Vuelo Del Lobo" from Albuquerque, N.M.
"El Vuelo Del Lobo" also won the People's Choice award and had the longest flight of the day at 35 feet.
Closing the competition was "The Devil Destroyer," a group of ASU alumni whose craft was in the shape of a football helmet and a tribute to the late Pat Tillman.
"We went to school at the same time as Pat Tillman," said ASU alumnus Andy Falvey, pointing to the large number 42 which decorated the side of the craft. "We're all big ASU football fans."
Architecture freshman Alex Van Horne attended Saturday's event and said he heard of the Flugtag through the signs on campus.
"I had nothing else to do," Van Horne said. "I figured it would be a good time."
Van Horne said he wasn't rooting for any particular team, but he said he hoped to see the ASU teams do well.
"The first team was hilarious," he said "Seeing Sparky go headfirst into the lake was pretty funny."
Reach the reporter at kelsey.perry@asu.edu.
