The Bay of Islands College team - Hare Martin, Wiremu Elliott, Cody Cook and Diesel Mahanga - ready their Aquabot for action at the Whangārei Aquatic Centre. Photos / Tania Whyte
The Bay of Islands College team - Hare Martin, Wiremu Elliott, Cody Cook and Diesel Mahanga - ready their Aquabot for action at the Whangārei Aquatic Centre. Photos / Tania Whyte
It was a battle royale that even Covid concerns could not stop at the Northland Aquabot Competition.
Robots built by Northland students went head to head underwater at the Whangārei Aquatic Centre on Tuesday.
Up to 160 pupils put their underwater Aquabots to the test with NZ Defence Force (NZDF) staff there to help out.
Despite a large number of participants, organiser Gareth Bodle said Covid concerns and weather warnings had cut attendance in half.
Nonetheless, Bodle said with help from the NZDF and Whangārei Rotary Clubs the day went well and showcased some outstanding teams - both technologically and in terms of teamwork and presentation.
Kamo High students Lleyton Zwaanenburg, Zac Trigg and Troy De Bruyn are all concentration as their Aquabot is put through its paces.
''I have worked with these students individually in their schools across Northland over the last two months and it was exciting seeing them bring their Aquabots to a real event to put their hard work into action and compete with others,'' he said.
''In a day of excitement and competition, there was a wonderful mix of one minute shy in a big place and the next bold and confident.''
Bodle said the Primary Award winners, Charlie's Angels, didn't claim their top spot due to being the only team in the primary division. Their points total would have put them 4th in the Intermediate and 4th in the High School competition.
NZ Defence Force staff helped out at the Aquabot challenge, including Sergeant Vanisha Patel, NZAF, PO Courtney Grey, RNZ Navy and Sergeant Jackie Tuala NZ Army.
''They are three very talented young girls,'' Bodle said.
The High School winners hailing from Bay of Islands College along with their teacher had a cool story behind their participation.
''The teacher, Kamlesh, emailed me in early February to say he only had one student who had signed up for Aquabots so I should cancel BOIC," Bodle said.
''I emailed back and said 'my funders don't have a minimum threshold of how many students – so if you have a student I will come and give them a go.'
"It was rubbish really because we knew the funding would run out so I wasn't going to get paid whatever school I went to by early March."
Bodle said when turned up at the college there were five students ready to take part.
"...once I did the school visits I have been Zooming them once a week to help them and guide them through everything."
Isla Hori and Cammy Mitchell from Whangaroa College test their Aquabot. Photo / Tania Whyte
The competition was so important to the Bay of Islands College students that one of their mothers phoned the teacher involved, Kamlesh Prakash - the senior dean, in the wee hours of the morning on the day of the competition.
''One team member lives out at Rawhiti and his mother rang Kamlesh at 4am because Hare was awake and worried about getting to school in time to get to Whangārei. So she brought him in then and there and then they went and won," Bodle said.
Bodle is now applying for funding to maintain the programme in Northland.
