2013 North Carolina Regional
 

I'm going to get this thread started earlier this year.

2013 North Carolina Regional:

May 14 - 16, 2013
Dorton Arena
Raleigh, North Carolina

There are currently 36 teams registered with six slots still open. I expect they will go quickly once second registration opens.

32 North Carolina teams
2 Virginia teams
1 Alabama team
1 Netherlands team

Only three rookies so far although one of them is coming all the way from Eindhoven, Netherlands. Welcome to FIRST all of you.

I am happy to see that our old friends the NASA Knights, Team 122, are coming to NC. We've seen you at a regional every year since we started in 2001 and look forward to seeing you again this year.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

There seems to be fewer teams registered this year. Is this the case?

Either way, I think the fact that this regional will be on week three (earlier than usual) might change the game up significantly.

Looking forward to seeing you all again there!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Moving it from week 5 to week 3 wasn't helpful...

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

It looks like we North Carolina teams are a bit stuck in early regionals. Peachtree and Virginia are also on week three. Palmetto is moved from week four to week one. I'm actually really looking forward to this. For once, we'll get a chance to define the game a bit. How the game operates in the field is always different from how the game operates in the strategy meeting. So this year, it's going to be a surprise for us.

It's just a bit unfortunate that many teams we are used to seeing at NC will have to choose between other regionals the same week.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

No that's not the case.
Last year at this time North Carolina had only 20 teams registered.

So, it's 180% better :)

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

I think the Knights had to forgo playing at home in VA because of their deal with Langley. I will miss them and I will miss NC. If it wasn't a Week 3, I think my guys would be there. Dorton Arena is a great place for a competition especially when the weather is nice in the spring and the sun goes through the windows so perfectly. It's a booming regional and I wish you all the best!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

I predict that North Carolina will fill up to initial capacity on October 25. I talked to several South Carolina teams at SCRIW last weekend that want to register for North Carolina.

If they hold final capacity at 54 like last year that will leave 12 slots for late rookies and waitlist. So far only two rookies have registered in NC and I hope there will be more, but I don't expect 12 more.

I hope they cap it at 54 teams and use the same pit layout as last year. I really liked the pit layout. That said, I also hope they find a way to get at least a half field for the practice field. The two quarter fields of last year was not adequate. Maybe if they shrink the queue area to get extra room.

Having VA, Peachtree and NC on the same weekend is less than ideal. I heard a rumor that staying at week 5 would involve a multiyear commitment to Easter weekend so they moved to week 3. Maybe they can move one of the three next year.

We've gone to Peachtree the last four years and wanted to go back again. Obviously that's not possible. It looks like we'll try to get into Palmetto even though first week regionals can have lots of field problems.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

I can tell you for a fact that there is a hard cap at 54, just like last year. Rumor is that we're going to have around 6-7 rookie teams this year which leaves about a dozen spot left for veteran teams.

Since I doubt one of the regional will want to move your best bet might be a new regional in GA or NC/SC.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Blue Cheese, FIRST Team 1086, is excited that we were able to get of the wait list yesterday! We can't wait to see everyone at this amazing regional in mid-March! Good luck to all the teams this upcoming build season.

Patrick Brew
Co-Captain
FIRST Team 1086

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Lots of changes since last time I posted here. Busy, you know.

Registration is up to 48 teams so there will probably be six more.

There are now 5 rookies with the addition of two more NC rookies. Welcome 4767 and 4795. There should be at least one more rookie if I understand the NASA Regional Challenge grants. There is a rookie from Logansport, IN that got a NC Regional Challenge grant that hasn't registered yet.

There are
37 NC teams
4 VA teams
2 AL teams
1 Netherlands team
1 NH team
1 SC team
1 TN team
1 WV team

It's great to see Blue Cheese (1086) returning for another year. I look forward to seeing you all again.

Epsilon Delta (116) is making their first trip to NC. I haven't seen them at a regional since VA in 2008.

Mechanical Mayhem (1519) is coming down to defend their title.

Six of this year's teams won a regional last year.

We'll see six of the other teams at Palmetto on week 1.

It's looking like a great regional. I can't wait.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Excellent! Another of the North Carolina veterans has registered. I'm glad to see 3796 is still with us. That leaves only two of last years NC teams unaccounted for.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

On behalf of the Knights (Team 122),we are happy to be coming back to the great state of NC and bringing our wonderful new friends for the Netherlands with us!! Unfortunately we are missing our home regional back in VA, but we took a team vote and decided NC.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

So much for a cap of 54 teams. There are now 56 teams registered for the NC regional. I'm going to assume that 56 is the final count. I may well be wrong.

There are 10 rookies, eight from North Carolina, one from the Netherlands and one from Indiana. Rookies make up 18% of the teams. Welcome to 4816, 4824, 4828 and 4829 who signed up since my last post.

The teams come from:
NC 43
VA 4
AL 2
SC 2
IN 1
Netherlands 1
NH 1
TN 1
WV 1

North Carolina has eight rookie teams this year for 19% growth over last year. We appear to have lost one veteran team from last year.

Six teams won a regional last year. 1519 and 2642 are back to defend their regional title. 4083 made it to the finals last year and is probably looking to improve on that performance.

Eight of the teams will have seen each other at Palmetto in week one.

Team 587 is hosting a set of workshops organized by NC FIRST this Saturday at Orange High in Hillsborough. I hope to see some of you there.

The fourth North Carolina Regional is looking good.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

This will be the first time we've played in the NC sandbox ......... looking forward to it!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Yeah! I am part of team 4795.

Also NASA funded most of the rookie teams this year I think. (They funded us.)

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

very different, very cool, almost like being outside. I really like it.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Team 3336 is officially going to the Regional Competition this year.
We wish all of you the best of luck!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Palmetto is behind us and now it's time to focus on the North Carolina regional.

There are 55 teams registered for NC. I hope they found a place to put another pit without changing last years excellent pit layout.

Eleven of the teams played last week in Myrtle Beach. We're looking forward to seeing all of you again. 1519 was at Granite State last week.

Congratulations to the Flying Platypi for their Engineering Inspiration award at Palmetto.

The Hedgehogs are furiously preparing for NC and hoping to have a better showing than at Palmetto. We look forward to seeing you all next Thursday.

Think defense, folks.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Only a couple more days! I can't wait to see some of you especially since many teams were not able to make it to Palmetto a couple weeks ago.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Trailer is loaded, permission forms all signed, ready for the trip in the morning to Raleigh, looking forward to finally getting to compete.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Packing tonight. excitement is mounting for a great event in an awesome venue!

With it being earlier this year, I wonder if the pollen will be as bad as it has been in the past. I've heard stories of having to dust robots off between matches!

If anyone needs anything, give a yell soon so we can make sure to pack it in the trailer tonight. I think I found the elusive pneumatic roflcopter in one of our bins last week...

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Today's test webcast seemed to work quite well - a big thank you to YETI Robotics, #3506, and everyone else who helped make it happen!

For those of you who didn't see it yet, it's on their team youtube page. Friday's webcast is at this url: http://www.youtube.com/user/YETIRobo...?v=8qHOudccH0A

No match schedule yet... hopefully it'll be up in the next hour or so!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

And here's the match schedule! http://www2.usfirst.org/2013comp/eve...edulequal.html

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

It was blank when I clicked on it.

EDIT: There it is!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Last match against Spork AND Robodogs? That is going to be a fun match!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Yeah, 435, 1249, and 3196 will be a really tough alliance! I'm expecting quite the nailbiter! I love that with the random qualification schedule there's almost always a few matches that are actually often stronger than elims!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Just in case the significance of the above is missed -- as of the end of the day on Friday, there are 3 teams that have gone 6-0: 435 (Robodogs), 1249 (Robot Rats), and 1519 (Mechanical Mayhem). ALL THREE of these teams play in the very last qualification match on Saturday! Plus, 2059 (The Hitchhikers) with their 5-1 record is in that match, as well! Toss 3196 (Spork) into the mix with their 30-point climber, and the final qualification match becomes an amazing showcase of quite a few of the best teams at the regional.

With so many high-seeded teams in the last match, the alliance selection order at the top won't be determined until the final buzzer! Should make for an exciting finish...

Best regards to all!

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional
 

Very hot match at noon.
Match 83.

Current rankings:
435 #1 8-0
1249 #4 8-0
3196 # 21 with a 30 point climb

1519 #2 8-0
2059 #5 7-1
3822 #54 1-7, but you never know what they could do on defense.

2013 North Carolina Regional pictures
 

I volunteered at this event as the photographer. If you were there, you probably saw me walking around with my camera. I have made the pictures available in two places:

• Facebook album
• Web album

Feel free to use the pictures however you need, but please don't claim them as your own.

Re: 2013 North Carolina Regional pictures
 

There are some great photos there and some great memories! Thanks for sharing.