The World Human Powered Speed Challenge 2024 will be held September 8th - 14th, 2024 at Battle Mountain, Nevada.

Cyclists from around the world will gather on State Route 305 outside Battle Mountain, Nevada in a quest to break the human-powered land speed record. The record currently stands at 89.59 MPH (144.17 KPH).

SR 305 provides one of the straightest, smoothest and most ideal road surfaces in the world for HPV records. The 4,619ft (1,408m) altitude road provides riders a 5 mile acceleration zone, enabling them to reach their maximum velocity before being timed over a 200 meter distance. The section of the road used for this event was newly refinished in 2009, with a smooth surface specially prepared for human powered vehicle racing by the Nevada Department of Transportation, using a Nevada Department of Tourism Grant from the US government.

Course information: Road elevation and slope data

Record attempts: Sunday Sept 8th - Saturday Sept 14th.

Technical Inspection:Friday - Saturday Sept 6th - 7th.

Racer & Volunteer Meeting: Saturday Sept 7th.

Setup days: Sept 5, 6 & 7th

All records set are sanctioned by the IHPVA.

The WHPSC has adopted several event specific rules since 2020:

• Rule 1) As part of the safety inspection, each team must demonstrate that they can extract an unconscious rider from their vehicle within several minutes.br
• Rule 2) The team must reasonably show that a rider cannot be ejected from the vehicle in the event of a severe roll-over crash
• Rule 3) As per IHPVA rule 3.1.1 “Vehicles must be driven solely by human power. Non-human power sources (batteries, solar cells, etc.) are permitted only for powering sensors, displays, communication equipment and lights. Control devices, cooling fans, powered aerodynamic devices, etc., may not be powered from non-human sources.” Since it has been pointed out that some vehicles have had electrically powered ventilation fans in the past (for cooling electronics), such fans will be allowed for 2020 as long as it can be shown that none of the air can be directed to the rider. (however, the use of any electrically powered fan will cause non-approval in the event of a world record) For 2021, all cooling fans that are not human powered will not be allowed.
• Rule 4) Teams are to be advised about the potential dangers of LiPO batteries.

Additional technical notes:

• On rule 1: If latches or other mechanical devices (hook and loop straps) are used to secure fairing pieces together that require removal in order to gain access to a rider, they must be able to be opened from the outside by the team's crew. Location of any access holes or reference points must be clearly obvious to the crew. Chase officials must be briefed on emergency procedures and if special tools are required the tools must be present in the chase vehicle before any run can commence. Officials at catch must be made aware of any special procedures to be followed in the absence of team members at catch.
• On rule 2: If it is possible that the fairing may not stay intact during a severe roll-over crash, then the design must incorporate other means to prevent the rider from being separated from the vehicle (for example a seatbelt), as well as a protective structure to keep the rider safe through the roll over. Examples where this applies are: a fairing attached only with tape, other weak latching mechanisms, or a thin structure incapable of handling crash loads. Exceptions can be made for slower vehicles achieving speeds more typical of a regular production bicycle.