MeetUp Ohnišťany: First Time for the Whole Weekend, Flying Driveshafts, and Brave Skippy in the Pea Soup
18. 8. 2026
Until now, our MeetUps were strictly one-day affairs. This time, however, we took the plunge and went for an entire weekend, turning it into a community summer camp complete with tents pitched right by the player benches on the local soccer field in Ohnišťany.
And the result? Having plenty of time to drive, chat with fellow enthusiasts, and not rush anywhere in the evening worked out brilliantly.
As organizers, we arrived on Friday to prep and test the tracks. We wanted everything in tip-top shape, especially since the weekend was co-hosted with a local RC hobbyist meetup on Saturday. And because parts already started breaking during the initial test drives on Friday, we immediately unpacked and plugged in our Prusa CORE One 3D printer. From that moment on, it barely cooled down, churning out on-demand spare parts all weekend long.
Le Ohnišťany and Flying Driveshafts
The Le Ohnišťany race (our signature “Le Whatever” format, where only the name changes based on the venue) has clear rules:
- 12 minutes of driving
- Every completed lap counts
- 1 mandatory battery swap in the pits
It’s not just about raw speed, but surviving to the finish line.
Right at the start, drivers have to sprint to their models, switch them on, and only then hit the throttle. Watching racers take on this sprint in flip-flops was a whole different sport and huge entertainment for the crowd. 😅 Over the course of twelve minutes, cars and drivers dropped like flies, with driveshafts and snapped wheels literally flying through the air. The mandatory mid-race battery swap brought Formula 1-level pit drama, but taking a moment for a quick repair in the pits proved well worth it. Starting fresh with a new part gave you a much better shot at stacking up laps than limping along the track. Teamwork shined here – dads wrenched in the pits while kids took the wheel.
A new addition this year was a massive PA speaker with a microphone. Thanks to live race commentary, an energetic fan club of kids quickly gathered around the track, wildly cheering for whoever was leading or pulling off the most spectacular crash. 😅
Brave Skippy and the Pea-Soup Pond
On Saturday afternoon, we headed to the nearby Šutrák pond to test out the Tritons. The reality on-site caught us by surprise: the water was bright green, completely opaque, and literally as thick as homemade pea soup.
A wave of hesitation washed over everyone – should we even launch our boats into this swamp, and worse, risk having to jump in after a stranded model? Skippy resolved the dilemma without a second thought, charging straight into the green muck first and proving there was nothing to fear. The Tritons cut through the green porridge like a hot knife through butter, giving us some epic action footage.
Night Creek Bed Trial and a Non-Stop 3D Printer
This year’s off-road track was set up in a dried-up creek bed right by a small railway bridge. Crawling over obstacles while a real train rumbled directly overhead was a fantastic experience. The highlight was Saturday’s night trial, navigating the rocky course illuminated only by headlamps and the cars’ LED light bars. Despite looking sketchy at times, everyone made it through and nobody got lost.
And whenever something snapped, bent, or went flying? As mentioned, our Prusa CORE One was running non-stop at our field station, backed up by Ondra’s four crates packed with spare parts. Those pre-printed stock crates turned out to be an absolute lifesaver – tons of replacements were available instantly and saw heavy action all weekend long. Whatever wasn’t readily in the bins, the printer whipped up on demand. We wrenched and repaired non-stop, so you just called out a broken part from the track, swapped it in minutes, and got right back into the race.
Camp Vibes and Local Hospitality
Sleeping in tents and talking late into the night had that perfect vibe blending a summer camp, a family vacation, and hanging out with great friends. The locals in Ohnišťany and our co-organizers were unbelievably welcoming, providing great facilities along with awesome catering. In the evening, we could unwind after the long day and hang out peacefully over a cold beer. And as the cherry on top, as we were leaving on Sunday, they even loaded us up with kilos of leftover barbecue meat from the weekend.
For us organizers, it was a hectic and exhausting weekend, but the overwhelming positive feedback made every minute worthwhile. Everyone parted ways asking when the next MeetUp would be, already plotting what new models they’ll print and how they’ll tune their setups for next time. It was great to hear and clear proof that the weekend was a total hit. Some people didn’t even want to pack up and leave (Shoutout to Petr! 👋).
A huge thank you to everyone who came!
And for those who couldn’t make it – we hope this recap gives you a taste of the action and we’ll see you at the next MeetUp!
The 3D Sets Team
