As one of the world's toughest alternative energy races, the 10-day 4,061-kilometer South African Solar Challenge was won on Saturday by Japan's Tokai University.

Their 162 kilogram solar-powered car set a new record for the event, traveling purely on solar energy.

The circuitous route started and finished in Pretoria. According to the South African Press Association (SAPA), numerous records were broken by vehicles powered by alternative energy.

Winstone Jordaan, race director said the Japanese also set the South African record for the longest distance traveled in one day on solar energy, at 565.3 kilometers.

In addition, a group of Pretoria enthusiasts set the solar powered record for a South African team by traveling 1,845.4 kms for the event. They also set the solar record for the distance traveled by a South African team in one day: 125.5 kilometers.

Teams could enter two categories, the Challenge Class and the Adventure category.

The Challenge Class has very strict criteria and covers all solar-powered vehicles. Adventure class is open to all road vehicles using alternative fuel technologies, not only solar power.

The next solar challnge in South Afica will be in 2012. Jordaan said he would like to see the event attract more entrants, especially from other South African universities researching alternative energy sources.

For this year's event the vehicles traveled to Cape Town, stopping in Bloemfontein and Beaufort West during stage one. Stage two saw the teams travel from Stellenbosch to Pretoria via George, Grahamstown, Kokstad, Richards Bay and Badplaas back to Pretoria.

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