“GalacTech” team members are returning to Columbus after three days competing in robotics alongside teams from all over the world.
Team 4926, or “GalacTech,” competed at the international For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Championship in Houston from April 21 through 23, making it to division playoffs but not the final tournament.
During the event, each FIRST Robotics Competition team was assigned to one of six divisions — each named after a renowned scientist — and six competitions ran at the same time. Each of these six competitions produced a winning alliance, which then advanced to Einstein Field for a round robin tournament and finals.
GalacTech was 6-4 during its qualification matches and ranked 30th in the Hopper division, which was made up of 75 teams. The local team was selected for an alliance by Teams 624 (CRyptonite — Katy, Texas), 3538 (RoboJackets — Auburn Hills, Michigan) and 4421 (FORGE Robotics — Calgary, Alberta, Canada) during division playoffs. The alliance did not make it out of the Hopper quarterfinals.
Ultimately, the alliance from the Galileo division won the championship. It was made up of Teams 1619 (Up-A-Creek Robotics — Longmont, Colorado), 254 (The Cheesy Poofs — San Jose, California), 3175 (Knight Vision — Grosse Point Woods, Michigan) and 6672 (Fusion Corps — Irving, Texas).
Over 450 high school teams from all over the world competed at the 2022 FRC championships, including groups from as close as Indianapolis and as far away as Israel.
Columbus North freshman Rishabh Rajesh said that the competition was a “truly awesome experience.”
“It was interesting to see teams from all around the world compete and showcase their robots,” he said. “Overall, I was able to learn a lot and most importantly, have fun!”
Isaac Kannianen, a junior from East, described it as “surreal.”
“When I initially arrived, I could not even believe the size of the venue, and all of the bleachers,” he said. “My overall experience of the event was very positive and exciting. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.”
