Congratulations to Ben and Conrad for clinching 1st place in the Junior "Rescue" division at the Canterbury regional Robocup robotics competition held at Türanga over the weekend!

This dynamic duo approached the competition with their upgraded line-following robot, which had previously secured them a victory at last year's NZ nationals. Naturally, this raised their own expectations.

However, with each competition presenting unique tracks and unpredictable robot behaviours under varying conditions, they realised the necessity of adaptability on the day.

On their arrival, a minor hiccup saw their robot spinning in circles on the unfamiliar track. With some swift coding adjustments and some good old kiwi ingenuity – think "number 8 wire" solutions – our stars got their robot back on track.

The tension was palpable going into the final round, where a missed obstacle saw them lose crucial points. Demonstrating quick thinking and courage, they made the daring choice to restart their robot with a different code version. This bold strategy saw them completing the round successfully, with top points, albeit with mere seconds to spare!

Their determination and adaptability are a testament to our school's values of resilience and excellence. We applaud them for their impressive win, especially in a competition designed to challenge and pressure the students. Well done, boys!