Local Robotics Team Claws Way to World Semifinals – Noozhawk

By | May 13, 2017 | 3:32 p.m.

Team 5818 finished its second season with an outstanding run, reaching the semifinals, at the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships in Houston recently.

The team spent four days at George R. Brown Convention Center watching elite machines, meeting students from around the world, and cheering on this years robot.

The competition kicked off the first morning, with Riviera Robotics students arriving at 7 a.m. to prepare for qualification matches. Unfortunately, the team got off to a rough start.

After a series of challenging matches Team 5818 emerged from day one with a record of 1-3-0.

Despite its low ranking (57 of 67 in the Hopper division), Team 5818 was not deterred. It bounced back on Day 2, playing a spectacular set of matches without a single loss.

Completing a phenomenal comeback, Riviera Robotics finished qualification matches ranked 13th in the Hopper division with a record of 6-3-1.

The next morning, Team 5818 was the first pick of the No. 8-seeded team.

Working with Team 3835 (Vulcan Robotics from Tel-Aviv, Israel), Team 2910 (Jack in the Bot from Bothell, Wash.), and Team 2230 (General Angels from Herzliya, Israel), the No. 8-seeded alliance was a force to be reckoned with.

In a stunning upset, this international alliance defeated the No. 1-seeded alliance in the division quarterfinals.

After a set of hard-fought matches, Team 5818s run came to an end as it was eliminated in the semifinal rounds.

Looking ahead to a third season in the fall, Riviera Robotics is in search of a permanent build-space and home for its organization.

Anyone who has available space or knows of a space that might be a good fit for the team, can email [emailprotected]

Team 5818 is sponsored by Virgil Elings, FLIR, Valley Precision Products, M&J Machining, MMI Intriplex, Lebow Company, Architectural Millwork, Speciality Tool and Die, MOXI, True Precision Machining, Precision Welding and Axis Machining.

More sponsors include L3, Hope School District, Bowlus Engineering, Hendrix Machining, Bosch, Armabot, Check Yourself Machining, Santa Barbara Industrial Finishing, Continental, Santa Barbara Hackerspace, and Engen Enterprises, Inc.

Riviera Robotics is a student-run community robotics team open to all high school age students on the South Coast. The team is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded entirely by community sponsors.

To make a contribution to Team 5818, visit http://www.rivierarobotics.org or email [emailprotected]

Ruby Gans for Riviera Robotics.

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Local Robotics Team Claws Way to World Semifinals - Noozhawk