This year saw the third International Soil Judging Contest, which took place about 50 miles outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian Soil Science Society hosted the competition. Just like the real Olympics, the competition only takes place every four years and is held in different locations around the globe.

The event was free to the public and only full-time undergraduate/graduate students, led by one coach, were allowed to compete. Each team was tasked with spending an hour in a 5-foot-deep pit describing the characteristics of the layers, classification and development processes of the soil, as well as its ability to transmit and retain water, support roots, the geological history of the site itself and any challenges for land development.

There were two USA teams this year with Andrew Sherfy from the University of Tennessee heading one and John Galbraith from Virginia Tech coaching the other. USA Team 1 consisted of: Kelli Roush (Iowa State University), Joseph Loffredo (University of Rhode Island), David Gentry (University of Tennessee-Knoxville) and Daniel T. Brumm (University of Wisconsin Platteville.)

On Team 2 was: Braden Povah (California Polytechnic State University), Emma Thompson (Utah State University), Anna Scott (Clemson University) and Ben Smith (Virginia Tech.)