If they haven't already they should make a leaderboard for tool-assisted, even entirely tool-generated runs.

Building a near-optimal solver for a problem like that would be a really impressive feat by itself. It could perhaps be used as coursework in areas like planning or finite element analysis, maybe even spark some novel research.

I love a good cheat, especially when it shows as much ingenuity, effort and elegance as doing it properly. If it weren't for the obvious health risk to the athletes, I would have proposed an entire sports leagues where pharmaceutical companies can duke it out with novel performance enhancing drugs.