British Columbia was well represented at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Anaheim, Calfornia. Seven teams from British Columbia qualified for the event, which brings together 400 of the top high school robotics teams from around the world. B.C.’s strongest represenation came from Gladstone Secondary school, with five teams qualified for the event. Gladstone was on a mission to defend the world title they won last year when their school achieved an unprecedented 1-2 finish. The remaining two teams represented Isfeld Secondary, from Courtenay, and Enver Creek Secondary, from Surrey.
After the qualifying rounds were over, BC teams had won two-thirds of their matches and were well placed for the elimination rounds. In the Arts division team “Burning Ice” from Isfeld secondary captained the #8 alliance, and Gladstone’s team 2W joined the #5 seeded alliance. In the Technology division Gladstone was represented by team 2K, part of the #2 seeded alliance, and in the Engineering division the Gladstone “Robosavage’s” team 2M allied with team WASABI from Bellvue Washington and team 188 from Woburn Collegiate in Ontario as the #1 seeded alliance.
