Otumoetai College robotics team in full 'competition mode'

Otumoetai College robotics team members Cory Dyer, 17, PK Wadsworth, 16, and Alice Cerdeira, 15, are competing in the world champs in the US. Photo / Andrew Warner

Otumoetai College's robotics team have rounded up the last dollar needed to pay for their trip to the world robotics championships in the United States and will now be in full "competition mode".

PK Wadsworth, 16, Cory Dyer, 17, and Alice Cerdeira, 15, from team 2941A qualified for the 2018 VEX Robotics World Championship after winning the national competition in February.

The group flew to Louisville, Kentucky last week ahead of the competition, which starts tomorrow.

Team 2941A were the only team of four Otumoetai College robotics groups that entered the national competition, but all members earned the right to travel to the US.

This means the entire college team - called OATS 2941 - had to find $40,000 to cover air fares, accommodation and expenses for 12 students and two parent volunteers to attend the championships. Any surplus money will be used to fund next season's competition.

Otumoetai College principal Russell Gordon said the team had been busy fundraising for their flights to the US.

"They were really putting all of their energy into getting the funds and were quite drained," he said. "But once you get into competition mode that falls away."

Gordon said all had been quiet since the team left for the world championships which would be held between April 25-28.

However, he guessed the team would now be in "competition mode".

The principal said regardless of the result, he was pleased the students had the opportunity to showcase their skills worldwide.

"For them to win, lose, or draw they are there to have that life experience," he said.

Gordon said the team would miss the beginning of term three by the time they returned from the competition.

"They will be fully immersed in what they are doing there and they will come back and [be] going straight into the academic side of things. But they are the kind of kids who will be able to cope with that," he said.

"I am sure when they come back it will be a big blur, so we just hope they have time at least to reflect on what they have achieved."

FACTS AT A GLANCE:
What: 2018 VEX Robotics World Championship
Where: Louisville, Kentucky, in the US
When: April 25-28
Who: Otumoetai College team OATS 2941