Congratulations to 1241, 1477, and 610- 2013 World Champions!

[Travis Hoffman]

I was standing right next to them - figured I'd make myself useful.

http://youtu.be/3XOzG5WApnE

Never give up...never surrender! Huge congratulations to Teams 1241, 1477, and 610 - it was a privilege being a point-blank witness to your awesome, gritty, determined, tenacious, resilient, professional, insert superlative here accomplishment, from the beginning of divisional eliminations to the final match buzzer on Einstein!

[dtengineering]

I see a few posts saying "Don't know much about 1241".

I know a thing or two about them... they are one of the reasons our team was able to get started in FRC when they offered to billet us for GTR back in 2004. We were both rookies, but they were the Rookie All-Star and had a uniquely effective machine.

They are one of the many Ontario teams (as is 610) that while well-known in Canada, are perhaps less well-known across FRC than 1114 and 2056.

But I guess they are a bit more well-known now... and I should add that they are just as awesome off the field as on.

Congratulations 1241 (and 610 and 1477)... what a way to cap a decade of hard work!

Jason

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

I was standing right next to them - figured I'd make myself useful.

http://youtu.be/3XOzG5WApnE

Never give up...never surrender! Huge congratulations to Teams 1241, 1477, and 610 - it was a privilege being a point-blank witness to your awesome, gritty, determined, tenacious, resilient, professional, insert superlative here accomplishment, from the beginning of divisional eliminations to the final match buzzer on Einstein!

A few more raw videos of the Einstein celebration, following the one I originally posted. Not as interesting as the first one, but I'm sure some folks will like seeing them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4zcfE4TfUY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr-EtzZho4Q

[hobbins]

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

I was standing right next to them - figured I'd make myself useful.

http://youtu.be/3XOzG5WApnE

Never give up...never surrender! Huge congratulations to Teams 1241, 1477, and 610 - it was a privilege being a point-blank witness to your awesome, gritty, determined, tenacious, resilient, professional, insert superlative here accomplishment, from the beginning of divisional eliminations to the final match buzzer on Einstein!

Thanks Travis - we at 1241 have always had tremendous respect for your team. I especially liked the moves that you displayed at FLR to stop 340 from high hanging. Great courage to wait under the pyramid to push them away We definitely worked very hard to continue onto Einstein. And after going 10-0 in 2011, then loosing in the semi's on Newton, wow, that was hard to take. When they said we were done/out this past semi on Einstein, that brought back 2011 memories. We are all just very happy here, and we are already working hard to prepare for 2014!!!

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by hobbins

Thanks Travis - we at 1241 have always had tremendous respect for your team. I especially liked the moves that you displayed at FLR to stop 340 from high hanging. Great courage to wait under the pyramid to push them away We definitely worked very hard to continue onto Einstein. And after going 10-0 in 2011, then loosing in the semi's on Newton, wow, that was hard to take. When they said we were done/out this past semi on Einstein, that brought back 2011 memories. We are all just very happy here, and we are already working hard to prepare for 2014!!!

Thank you for the kind words, John. I know 1241 is an impressive team based on recollections going back to when 48 regularly went up to compete at the Canadian Regional/GTR's of yesteryear. Many of my Canadian friends also speak very highly of your program. Plus, the powder blue and orange tends to stand out, so you guys are hard to miss.

I put out a call to all teams, all Canadians to strive to push your limits, and raise the bar so that you too will experience success at this level. See everyone in 2014 or sooner (IFI?)

I think you mean IRI. I'd love to see you guys there. I don't think you'll have any problems with an invite.

[nlknauss]

Storm Robotics 2729 had the pleasure of playing with 610 in one of our qualification matches. What a great group of people to work with, always keeping their cool and professionalism throughout. I'm very happy for you!

We didn't have the chance to work with 1477 and 1241 but recognize their dedication to excellence from my observations in the pit and on the field. Job well done to all!

Nate

[Yipyapper]

This is directed at 610, 1241 and 1477.

First of all, I have to commend every robot on the 610/1241/1477 alliance for having incredible robots. 610 is so fast when they were shooting, 1241 improved so much by the time they reached champs—and they were one of the best teams in a powerful year for Canada at the start. 1477's 7-disc autonomous and extra support as a shooter proved incredibly valuable for the alliance.

So we're getting into the alliance selections, and I notice that 1241 picks 610 and 1477 as their teammates. While I knew that would be an impressive combo that could make it far against any of the other alliances, I didn't think they could beat the heavily favoured powerhouse alliance of 1114, 118 and 4039. I'm not alone in thinking that they'd run away with the Galileo win.

When I went over to Einstein to sit down, I noticed that Mr. Lim was walking around. Puzzled, I kept looking around for 1114. Then I saw 610, 1241 and 1477, and I figured "Boy, was I ever wrong".

When you guys had supposedly lost in the 2nd match on Einstein, myself and a couple of other 781ers got a little down at the results. With all due respect for the other alliance, I really wanted Canada to win. When the news was released that they had actually WON the match, the same 781ers and I exploded. I felt really, really good and I wanted to see you guys win.

With your absolutely insane disc scores (around 220 or so was a common trend, it seemed) and consistent 10-10-10 climbing, I figured it would be a very interesting finals. I had actually predicted that 469 and 33 would win it all, considering how powerful they were in Archimedes (I even predicted 469 winning it all with either 254 or 987 from the start). They're both teams I respect to a very high level and I was cheering for them when they weren't playing against 610/1241/1477 (sorry, a little Canadian pride here).

So when it went to 3 matches for the first time in... who knows how long it's been, I found myself cheering more than I had ever cheered before, hoped more than I had ever hoped before (with the possible exception of my team in the 2011 World Finals). More cheering and hoping than I had for us getting picked by a team. Even more than my hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens.

Then you did it all. 610 and 1241—along with 188 and 2056—I believe to be the Canadian teams most deserving of a championship than anyone besides 1114. I am still feeling a buzz from the happiness I felt at your win.

This whole wildcard system is going to be amazing for this kind of thing happening in the future. While you both made it for other reasons, I believe this will open up a lot more appearances at Champs for teams like you guys, 1310 (who was absolutely amazing, I loved watching them in every match) and 188 (fingers crossed!). Not only that, but you've proven that the abilities of the elite tier just below 1114 and 2056 can accomplish so much—enough that regionals won't be completely dominated by those two anymore.

610 and 1241, congratulations on being the first ever multi-Canadian alliance to win Champs, congrats to winning your first championships and congrats to being the 3rd and 4th Canadians to win.

[ErikEdhlund]

Congratulation to 1241,1477, And 610. You were a great alliance and I am at least gave the World Champs a run in our division. Also thank you for proving that my prediction of the type of alliance that would win it all was correct.

[Walter Deitzler]

All I can say is:
This alliance up against an FCS? Simply outscore them! This alliance against two FCS's and a floor sweeper to pick up missed shots? Win anyways.

Congrats guys, you were awesome.

[Wendy Holladay]

Mazel Tov! to 610, 1241, and especially 1477 our Bayou friends.

[Grim Tuesday]

I feel like this was a true alliance of underdogs and the out shadowed.

In Ontario, 1114 and 2056 outshadow 610 and 1241. In Texas, 118 and 148 outshadow 1477. Most performance metrics dictated that 1114/118 should have won. Then 33/469 should have. But this alliance managed to pull out an amazing and well deserved win with teamwork. Congrats guys!

[cziggy343]

First of all, the Einstein matches were fantastic. For every team that made it there, congratulations. I was on the floor and got to watch bits and pieces of every division's eliminations, and while some were surprising to me, you could tell how much each of those four alliances gelled together by the time they made it to Einstein.

Now, congratulations to 1241, 1477, and 610. Even after all the hullabaloo about full-court shooters, 50 point dumpers, and 30 point climbers, the alliance that won it all showed us that 2 exclusive feeders, 1 floor pick up, 3 10 point climbers, and a lot of heart and execution were all that was necessary to win. Wasn't the "flashiest" way to play, if you will, but it was a thing of beauty to watch this game the way it was played in the finals.

After watching a whole lot of robotics from my house this year, I saw all three of these teams, and the improvements, especially from 1477 and 1241, that they made throughout the year. In a season where 118 and 148 were strong in Texas, and 1114 and 2056 (and IMO 610 was just as good) in Canada, then it was tough for 1477 and 1241 to get the praise they deserved. Well done it earning it.

I watched the Galileo alliance selection play out for most of it, and I was STUNNED to see that 610 fell that far down the selection process. Granted, I didn't get to see them at all before Saturday afternoon, but this was a team that would have been dominate everywhere else except a world where both 2056 and 1114 would tag-team you... I knew that whoever was lucky enough to snag them in the second round would have a great chance of knocking off 118 and 1114.

Great job once again! I was so fun to watch!

[philso]

Congratulations to 1477, 610 and 1241!

It was an incredible thrill to finish our FLL tournament activities and find four Canadian teams and two Houston teams engaged in three of the most intense matches I have ever seen, the Galileo Semi's. As Canadians living in Houston, our loyalties were torn and we cheered for both sides till we were hoarse. It was so amazing to see you all work together in the Einstein Finals to outscore two FCS' with your speed and precision shooting. Kudos to your engineers for creating such precise and efficient scoring machines and kudos to your drivers for employing them so effectively. We are sorry that our other commitments kept us from seeing more of your matches.

1241
It was a pleasure to meet Amanda and Florence in our pit area. You are doing fantastic things that will make all the teams in TO stronger in the coming years. Considering the uniformly high level of play I saw on the webcasts from the Toronto area Regionals, that is a frightening thought. It was an even greater pleasure to later finding your team climbing up through the Galileo Eliminations an on to Einstein.

610
We met your team members in your pits last year and they graciously answered all our questions about their robot and how they designed it. We have always admired the elegance and efficiency of your robots. Your team members all had a look in their eyes that told us they did not just want to succeed, they needed to succeed. It does not surprise us that you are now World Champions.

1477
Your team has always worked hard to improve and you all deserved to be rewarded for your hard work. We could also see the need and determination to succeed in your eyes. It was such a thrill to see your team fight to overcome adversity over and over again in the last few days. Those struggles must have given you the momentum to propel you to the top. Thanks also for so graciously sharing your bus with us. It was an honour to be able to hang out with your team (win or lose). It was also fun to think that each of our teams had defeated past World Champions that day. I wish I took a picture of Scott curled up in the front seat with the trophy.

We trust that your hard work dedication and passion for excellence will lead you all to victory again.

Phil So
Bud-Botics, FLL Team 7372

[PayneTrain]

Congrats to these Galileo champs for being awesome teams that finally got their skill and lady luck to work together in a winning combination (and thanks for asserting my predictions that Galileo would win vs. Archimedes in 3 and not have a dedicated full-court shooter when they won).

[AllenGregoryIV]

I had 14 hours to congratulate 1477 on the bus ride back to Houston but that still wasn't enough. I have seen Texas Torque develop over the years from the Northside Roboteers and their 1st Regional Win in 2008 into one of the peranial Texas powerhouses (and lately World Powerhouse). Torque is a model team for everyone in FRC to look up to. They have been doing it right for many years now and their hard work has paid off more than ever.

They had what can only be described as a rollercoaster of a season and it ended on the highest of peaks. Three events without even a finalist appearance, last minute champs qualification at their 4th regional in Week 6 (undefeated at Razorback). They then completely changed their shooter for championship moving away from a 3 wheeled banebot shooter to a two wheel shooter design with new wheels. This and a few programming issues led to several issues that they had to work through on Thursday and Friday before they were ready for eliminations on Saturday. 1477 hit all 7 discs in auton maybe once or twice this season before putting the robot down on Einstein; they hit them all several times when they needed every disc. Had you told anyone on Torque at the beginning of the year that their lift would be the reason they could defend 469 in the finals on Einstein they would have thought you were crazy.

1241 put together the best (obviously) lower seed alliance at the event. 610, 1477 and themselves were dynamic in every sense of the word. They had several tricks they didn't ever need but could have used. Mid-line auto, and full court shooting come to mind.

I was on the Galileo field as an inspector and marveled at this alliance's play. Every time it looked like the #5 alliance was going to go down they fought their way back and prevailed. It is the most impressive Championship run I have ever seen. All but one of their rounds had to go to a rubber match (They set the record for most eliminations matches played on the way to the title at least since 2002). Not only did they go to 3 rounds they lost the first match in everyone except for the division final. That means they played an unbelievable 8 win or go home matches. How they managed to deal with the stress is remarkable especially after being told they lost the event and then getting to keep playing.

Congratulations to the new WORLD CHAMPIONS 1241 THEORY6, 610 The Coyotes and 1477 Texas Torque. 1477 is now the highest numbered team to ever win the championship.