Today I learned a lot at the F1 Web Challenge. Had you ever heard of a ‘masking tape mousepad’ ?

Luke Buchlin kicks off Sierra Bravo’s F1 Overnight Website Challenge Presented by VISI. View the video below for behind-the-scene interviews. Check back for more videos during the next 24 hours.

The first ever F1 Overnight Web Challenge is officially underway! While the event has “Overnight” in it’s title, things kicked off early this morning.  Room 135 in the Continuing Education Conference Center was quickly transformed into a organized mess of computers and cables. Good naturedly, the 11 teams of web designers, developers and programmers have become very territorial of their duct taped areas.

This morning, to much enthusiam, Sierra Bravo announced which teams and non-profits are going to become very familiar with each other over the next 24 hours.   While teams are aiming to win, the biggest focus is, of course, the non-profits’ websites.  Each team seems particularly excited for the non-profit they are working with. I saw a few gift baskets brought in from the non-profit representatives, which I am sure warmed relations. ”People seem to be getting along,” said Mark Hulburt, Director of Marketing for Sierra Bravo, “I haven’t seen any fist fights yet.”

We’ll see what happens at 3:30 a.m.

The Teams are:

Altered Esthetics and The Internet Allstars

Doorstep Healthcare and Twin Cities Open Circuit

Families Moving Forward and Team IB

Hope Chest for Breast Cancer and Team.Net

Kairos Dance Theater and Cntrl|Alt|Del

Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly and Ruby.mn

Metro Meals on Wheels and Pollywog Stew

Rebuild Resources, Inc. and Team Clockwork

Riverview Economic Development Association and the Mighty Polymorphin Power Rangers

Twin Cities RISE! and the Bleecker Street Boys

Wingspan Life Resources and Web414

The event isn’t just computer work.  Over the lunch hour today, a Guitar Hero challenge will take place, with the champion winning his or her team an extra 30 minutes of programming at the end of the event.  The winner will be announced on here after the event.

Check out the F1 Web Challenge Flickr pool for photo updates throughout the event. Check back here for more blog updates throughout the event, and for video after the event (after we’ve finally gotten a chance to sleep).

Eleven non-profits were announced yesterday as being the recipients of brand new websites - at the cost of losing one night of sleep. As mentioned in a previous post, VISI is a presenting sponsor of Sierra Bravo’s F1 Overnight Website Challenge, so we are thrilled for these non-profits getting the websites and tools needed for their organizations.

Check out more about the non-profits chosen here.

Imagine being locked in a room with 80 web developers for 24 hours with only one challenge in front of you - design a dynamic new website for a deserving non-profit before the time runs out. That’s the premise of the first-ever “F1 Overnight Website Challenge,” which will be sponsored by VISI.

At the F1 Challenge website, Sierra Bravo issued a call to any geek who wanted to participate in a good cause. VISI answered the challenge by agreeing to provide free hosting to the non-profits’ new websites for a year. Web technologies can help non-profits maximize their organizations and fund raising efforts.

So be on the lookout for further updates on the F1 Overnight Challenge, including liveblogging at the event! We’ll gear up with the web developers, non-profits and plenty of energy drinks to keep you updated throughout the 24 hour challenge.