The Most Isolated FRC Team?

[dtengineering]

While reading the posts about the new, optional, district model I got to wondering which FRC team was the furthest distance not from a regional competition (I suspect the UK teams have a pretty good handle on this one) but which team is the furthest from their "nearest neighbour" FRC team.

Within North America, I'd be willing to bet that team 1482, in Calgary, a 533km drive to visit team 1696, in Simms, Montana would be in the running.

Worldwide, I'm guessing some of the Brazillian teams might be a bit isolated from their nearest neighbour, but don't know the geography that well.

So... how far would you have to drive (or fly) to get to the nearest FRC team? Here's a chance to claim the title for the "world's most isolated FRC team"! Is it 3011 in Germany? (a 738km drive to London?... but wait, 2037 is in the Netherlands... only about half that distance away) Or what about 3032 in Aracaju, Brazil? Maybe 2576, in Chile? Or 2905 in Turkey? 3105 in Manila?

Jason

(Er... actually, once I realized there was a team in Manila, the question of "Most isolated FRC team in the world" suddenly became a whole lot less challenging. But who is the most isolated in North America?)

[Rick TYler]

I was going to say "Anchorage" but there are (or were) at least two FRC teams there.

It's not FRC, but Bethel High School in Bethel, AK, uses VEX robots at their school, but they don't compete in any events. If they did, it would be hard to beat them for remoteness. There aren't even any roads to Bethel.

[Jared Russell]

Team 3032 from Aracaju, Brazil has a 2,042 km drive to their nearest neighbors, team 1382 and 1860 in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil.

Team 2576 from Santiago, Chile has a 2,349 km drive to their nearest neighbor, team 1772 of Gravatai, Brazil.

But neither of these teams come close to...

Team 3105 from Manilla, Philippines, which has a boat or plane ride of about 8,240 km to their nearest neighbors, team 2465, in Lihue, Hawaii.

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by Rick TYler

I was going to say "Anchorage" but there are (or were) at least two FRC teams there.

It's not FRC, but Bethel High School in Bethel, AK, uses VEX robots at their school, but they don't compete in any events. If they did, it would be hard to beat them for remoteness. There aren't even any roads to Bethel.

AREA is very active and supportive in Alaska. Not sure about Bethel, but there have been some great stories about FLL teams in very remote areas in Alaska, and their travels. http://www.akrobotics.org/

[VEI Dude]

I'm here in Trinidad (the caribbean island) for a few days. If I started a team here, I'm curious how far it'd be from the nearest other team. Do we have a map of the world with team locations anywhere?

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by VEI Dude

I'm here in Trinidad (the caribbean island) for a few days. If I started a team here, I'm curious how far it'd be from the nearest other team. Do we have a map of the world with team locations anywhere?

There used to be a map on usfirst.org that contained a map which had events possibly teams but I never used it. It is since gone as FIRST has re-done there website.

Weren't there some New Zealand teams a couple of years ago? I bet that soon there will a team to arise from that are of the world if they almost had a regional. But that theory is just me.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by VEI Dude

I'm here in Trinidad (the caribbean island) for a few days. If I started a team here, I'm curious how far it'd be from the nearest other team. Do we have a map of the world with team locations anywhere?

FIRST, in their website makeover, seems to have made it a bit more difficult to find a team...

But using Google maps, I find that the nearest teams are in Puerto Rico, about 1250 km away, unless there's one in northern Brazil.

Brendan, there was going to be a regional in NZ in 2009. It didn't happen. I'm guessing there might be one this year, with several teams, which would put them into contention for "Most Isolated FRC Regional", along with Israel (and Brazil, if they return to regional status).

[rwood359]

How about the Philippine team. Manila to Honolulu 5,300 miles. And they came to Atlanta - Does that make them the team that traveled the farthest?

[Katie_UPS]

Originally Posted by BrendanB

Weren't there some New Zealand teams a couple of years ago? I bet that soon there will a team to arise from that are of the world if they almost had a regional. But that theory is just me.

*Does some quick season-conversion*

WHOA! THEY DON'T HAVE SCHOOL DURING BUILD (It should end up being in the middle/end of their summer). Guys, It was nice knowing you all, but I think I should move to Australia and start a team.

[Chris is me]

I actually have a few New Zealander friends interested in robotics, so if the scene pops up there again someone should PM me some team names

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by Katie_UPS

*Does some quick season-conversion*

WHOA! THEY DON'T HAVE SCHOOL DURING BUILD (It should end up being in the middle/end of their summer). Guys, It was nice knowing you all, but I think I should move to Australia and start a team.

Oh, can i come too???

Well, that could be bad or AWESOME!!!!!!! One problem with having no school during build season is that it could deter some kids from joining as it might conflict with summer schedules. HOWEVER, i would love to be in an ACed building during an australian summer. But, could you imagine the customs!!!! That would mean a team couldn't attend a week 1-2 regional. It might stink in the end, but what do I know, a team hasn't been started yet.

[Phoenix Spud]

Well, you guys got your wish! check out this thread.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I actually have a few New Zealander friends interested in robotics, so if the scene pops up there again someone should PM me some team names

Chris - You do know that Vex is already alive and well in NZ don't you? If not, check it out - Search here in CD or on the Vex forum site - A college there just held a VRC regional recently.

Blake

[dtengineering]

Originally Posted by Katie_UPS

*Does some quick season-conversion*

WHOA! THEY DON'T HAVE SCHOOL DURING BUILD (It should end up being in the middle/end of their summer). Guys, It was nice knowing you all, but I think I should move to Australia and start a team.

Well, if you're serious you might want to check out http://www.rotary.org/en/StudentsAnd...ridefault.aspx

At the end of my grade 11 year I spent a year living with a few different families, and attending school in the small town of Peterbourough, South Australia, then came back home to do grade 12.

The people at Rotary are truly amazing, and the people of Australia (especially Peterborough) are perhaps even more so.

Jason

P.S. Good work tracking down those remote teams... with a new team starting up in Sydney, though... I think we have a tie for the most isolated international FRC team. They are both closer to each other (just over 6,000km) than to Hawaii.

[Mr_I]

I'm almost ashamed to say that we're blessed to have 5 teams within about 10 miles (12km), and well over a dozen within 20 miles.

But at the same time, I'm very impressed with the teams that do find themselves so isolated, and yet managed to succeed so well. You are all a credit to the dream of FIRST, so keep it up!