one round of fighting, there is a
costume contest held for the
robots themselves.
At high noon, the fighting
started and the first weight class
in the arena was the ant weights
with Pooky (from Team ICE), and
Wheely Wacko (from Team
Science and Mayhem), matching
up for the opening fight, with
Pooky winning. After the ants finished their first round of brackets,
the flea weights Atom Bomb (a
spinning drum from Team Misfit),
and Split (also from Team Misfit),
fought for a best two out of
three wins. The first bout was
won by Atom Bomb and the
second bout was won by Split, so
the third bout had everyone on
edge. Using most of the two
minute time limit, Atom Bomb
was able to kick Split off the
fighting platform to take the flea
weight championship.
After a short break, it was
time for the beetle weights to
fight for the best two out of
three between Unknown Avenger
(from Team ICE), and Arc
Pounder (from Team Science and
Mayhem). Unknown Avenger was
the repeat beetle weight
champion from the Gilroy Bot
Gauntlets and the 2006 and 2007
Halloween Robot Terrors, and
Unknown Avenger was more
than ready to defend his
championship by winning the first
two bouts and using the third
bout as a grudge match.
It was now time for the Bot
Costume Contest.
The rules for the Costume
Contest are simple:
5) The audience will vote for
the best costume.
The overwhelming
winner of the Bot Costume
Contest was the ant weight
Nibbler from Team Offbeat
Robotics. Nibbler had a
teddy bear over his weapon
arm and when he activated
the grinding disc (that was
now inside the bear), Teddy
started to wiggle and jiggle
big time and everyone found it
funny. Then, stuffing started
flying out of the bear and
everyone laughed harder. The
teddy bear eventually fell off the
weapon’s arm and Nibbler took a
victory lap around the arena. He
accidentally drove out one of the
push-outs which had everyone
rolling on the floor.
The 2nd place winner was
the ant weight Stumpy from
Team DMV. Stumpy had a plastic
skeleton sitting on him to look
like it was driving Stumpy. Behind
the skeleton was a hangman's
gallows and from the hangman's
noose was a sign that read "Vote
For Me or Else.” The skeleton’s
head turned left and right using a
tiny servo; its red eyes lit up; and
its arms turned handle bars when
Stumpy moved left or right.
There was a tie for 3rd place
between Capt. Crunch from Team
Stupid Robotics, and Baron
Underwear from Team Misfit.
The ant weight Capt. Crunch was
dressed as a pirate with a hat,
stuffed parrot, and a plastic
sword that was taped to its
weapons.
The ant weight Baron
Underwear had a two pound
layer of clay over it to create a
sea wave with the Greek sea
god Poseidon with his trident,
standing in the wave's trough.
The costume winners got
their pick of monster/horror
DVDs. After the Costume
Contest, the ant weights got back
PHOTO 4. Pirate Capt.
Crunch tied for third.
PHOTO 2. Costume
contest winner Nibbler.
PHOTO 3. Second place winner Stumpy.
into battle trim and fought it out
for the championship. The top
four winners were:
1st Place - Baron Underwear,
Team Misfit
2nd Place - Captain Crunch, Team
Stupid Robotics
3rd Place - Rector, Team Road
Rage
4th Place - Nibbler, Team Offbeat
Robotics
1) The costume must go onto the
fighting robot you are competing
with.
2) The bot must be able to drive
around the arena so the audience
can see it.
3) There is no weight limit on the
costume and bot combination.
4) No open flames.
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
winners from each weight class
got their pick from a prize table.
Afterwards, there were a number
of ant weight no-time-limit rumbles.
There are pictures of the
event and bot costumes at
www.flickr.com/photos/annie
catblue/sets/721576085743389
82/or www.flickr.com/
photos/21598904@N00/sets/72
157608396730610. SV
All photos courtesy of
Annie Blumenberg
SERVO 02.2009
27