For the first time in team history, the Red Devils qualified for the World Championships in Atlanta. This marked the realization of many years of training, hard work and learning for the team. In the tournament we competed with and against teams from Canada, the United States, Israel, Brazil and all over the world.
The team arrived in Atlanta after a gruelling 16-hour overnight bus ride from Oakville. The tournament kick off began with speeches by FIRST founders Dean Kamen and Woody Flowers, and even a robot parade. The round-robin matches then began, and 349 teams in 4 divisions began play. During the round-robins our robot suffered several disappointing technical glitches, and this severely handicapped our performance. After the round-robins were complete, the team finished well out of the elite playoff rounds. The team then viewed the final matches, watching the best of the best going head to head. Closing ceremonies and awards were held in between the penultimate matches. FIRST then hosted a grand finale, with carnival games and a great festive atmosphere to top off another great season. During their spare time the team also did some sightseeing on the side, visiting Coke World and the Georgia Aquarium.
This tournament marked the end of the 2008-2009 competitive season. This has been Oakville Trafalgar's best year ever, winning the Engineering Inspiration Award at the Waterloo Regional. As finalists in Waterloo, semi-finalists in GTA and qualifying for the World Championships, it was a fantastic season for all our team members, teachers and mentors. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our great volunteers, mentors, sponsors, parents and students for another great year. While the tournaments are over, the team is still busy preparing a Midnight Madness exhibit, a leadership retreat, and other activities.
We all hope we can build on our great results for even greater achievements next year.
