Die Sonderangebote Team Triumphs at National Aquabot Competition and Visits AUT

Marlborough Girls’ College team ‘Die Sonderangebote’ took to the waters at the National Aquabot Competition in Auckland on Sunday 1 December. Despite early equipment malfunctions that threatened to derail their progress, the team demonstrated incredible resilience, staying grounded, quickly adapting, and rebuilding their bot to remain in the competition.

Great team dynamics and support from other competitors played a vital role in overcoming these challenges, highlighting the collaborative spirit of the event. A surprise challenge tested the students’ critical thinking and creativity, setting them up for success in that round, where they placed third. However, the fierce competition from strong teams nationwide meant they missed out on a placing for the International event next year.

This experience was a valuable learning opportunity, inspiring the team to start planning for 2025 with renewed enthusiasm and determination. Congratulations to all the teams and to the Ministry of Innovation for a well-run event.

On Monday 2 December, the team visited Auckland University of Technology. Our first stop was the Mechatronics department, where Daniel, a PhD student, took us through the labs and provided an in-depth explanation of the design and implementation of robotics. Leila provided a detailed and engaging tour of the university. The team enjoyed the visit and gained a deeper understanding of the pathway to robotics, starting from building an Aquabot.

We would like to thank the following for making this trip possible:

• Amy Cornelisen from MOI

• Marlborough Girls’ College for support and funding

• Triple Links Youth Assistance Fund

• Chris Bowhill and Rebecca Allen from Pacific Rim Oenology Wine

• Mrs Claudia Small

• Bryce Allen, Jackie Potts, Cathie Bell and Rebecca Allen

We also thank Mrs Del-Monte, Mrs Malik, Mr Macri and Mrs Tofte-Dorr for their time with us.