It's nice to have a neighbor you can count on whenever you need to borrow a lawnmower or a cup of sugar. But what about when you need help with your concrete canoe? The University of New Haven Concrete Canoe Team knew they could ask their down-the-street neighbor Kenseal Connecticut.

Since the early 1970's, student groups of the American Society of Civil Engineers have constructed and raced concrete canoes at the local and regional level. Each school competes on their concrete canoe's design paper, oral presentation, floatability, aesthetics, and ability to race.

In 2008, Kenseal salesperson John B. Ryan had assisted the UNH team with coating for their canoe. In 2009, John stepped up Kenseal's participation and got Sika on board with a selection of the company's admixtures. In only their third year of participation in the New England Regional Canoe Competition, UNH placed fourth overall out of 11 schools, missing third place by just four points.

UNH team captain Chris Stankus was greatly appreciative of Kenseal's and Sika's sponsorship. "UNH was the only team in the competition that pre-stressed the canoe, and the judges were highly impressed. Doing this enabled our team to reduce the total weight of the canoe from 330 pounds last year to 240 pounds this year," he said. "Also by pre-stressing the concrete, our canoe was one of only two in the competition that did not crack."

John credits Sika's admixtures and said, "These students are on their way to greatness! We hope to help them every year so they can finish higher with each competition."