Servo - January 2011

obviously. I used to just use motor oil and I had to take everything apart and clean it all down after every match. It was messy and painful! Royal Purple is better than anything I have used before, and it’s not slinging stuff everywhere like the oil would.” Ray’s careful preparation and muss free components fell prey to that ol’ black magic: physics. About halfway through the tournament, Ray’s tool-steel blade sheared at the midway point in a fight against Original Sin. Suddenly weaponless, Team Hardcore Robotics was forced to regroup fast in the pits. Luckily, combat robot camaraderie came through as Matt and Wendy Maxham lent team Hardcore a new front end for Last Rites’ next fight – against them!

All the teams fought hard, and both won and lost with great showmanship. Perhaps the most dramatic victory came in the 30 pound class. “Caolho,” the only Brazilian entry, won all of its matches and Paulo Lenz and his comrades finally took home their first first-place win — having come to America since 2005 to compete at ComBots events. Caolho was so well built that on winning their final match, the team threw their robot across the arena in a victory cheer – where it bounced around unharmed, ready for another fight! John Frizell of the UK was the other international first-place winner, with his autonomous three pound robot “Otto.” Of course, everyone wants to know who won the big trophy and took home the check. The previous winners of the Cup continued to dominate the competition ladder, with the “big three” staying in the top three. Last Rites fell to third place, and the final round saw Gary Gin with Original Sin going head to head with Matt Maxham and Sewer Snake for the Cup. Like all the fights over the weekend, it was a great match-up, going the full three minutes. The first minute was dominated by Sewer Snake as it pushed Original Sin around the arena, but Gary’s great driving came back in the final minutes, before the clock finally ran out and the match went to the judges for scoring.

While Sewer Snake had bested Original Sin for first place at this year’s RoboGames, a repeat performance was not to be had, and Original Sin won by a unanimous judge’s decision. Congrats to Gary Gin and all of Late Night Racing on their second ComBots Cup victory!

The ComBots Cup will return in October

PHOTO 6. Kilt-wearing Piedmont High students and "Ragin' Scotsman."

2011 for its sixth year, with many of this year’s contestants coming back for both the cold hard cash and the chance to take the trophy away from Gary and let it decorate their home for the year. With a year to design and build a robot — and save for trip — the only question to ask is will you be ready to compete and take the trophy away from Gary’s grip? SV