Students rocket down a hill aboard couches equipped with wheels with predictable results. (Jim Wells, QMI Agency)

CALGARY - Sofas, cushions and dozens of empty beer cans littered St. Andrews Heights hill near the University of Calgary on Friday morning following the annual Bermuda Shorts Day couch races.

Considered an unsanctioned part of the annual last-day-of-class celebrations, this year's couch races drew hundreds of students to the hill just south of McMahon Stadium, where they watched about a dozen alcohol-fuelled teams hurl themselves to the bottom on sofas of various sizes, shapes and colours.

And of the teams that made it all the way down without their entry crashing -- or falling apart -- most had trouble stopping.

At least two students suffered minor injuries when couches crashed into the crowd. One came away with a chipped tooth and another with a concussion.

"It's crazy," said Cody Curran, 21, a third-year civil engineering student who took part. "But let's be honest and level here, that wasn't very responsible. It's worth it though."

Curran admitted few safety precautions were taken when his team outfitted their contraption. "They only put bicycle tires on it which was kind of a problem," he said.

"The spokes broke halfway down so I ditched in the first quarter and smashed my head pretty solid. But it's actually tons of fun."

Now in this third year taking part, Curran said this time around was the best so far.

"The first year it snowed so there wasn't many people here," he said.

"The weather has a lot to do with it."

Like most of those watching, Curran and his team weren't sober when they lined up at the top of the hill.

"We started at about 7 a.m. with a beer shower," he said.

Police ended up being called to quell the crowd, ushering them back to the university grounds.

No arrests were made, said Insp. Keith Cain, and students returned to campus peacefully.

Sponsored by the U of C Student's Union, Bermuda Shorts Day is held annually to mark the final day of classes at the university, featuring live music and beer gardens.

Because of the danger, the couch races aren't sanctioned or officially organized, said Student's Union communications manager Paul Power.

dave.dormer@sunmedia.ca