Here is our minibot prototype. We plan to manufacture the final version in the next week (which should be, we hope, at least 1 second faster). As is, it starts when it touched the pole (has that option although not displayed in video for timing purposes), goes up in about 2.5 seconds, and comes back down on its own. We plan to cut weight, and have some other tricks up our sleeve. 
I’d seriously like to know how you got a bunch of cardboard to climb a pole.
Was it magic?
Anyway…good time I guess? Thats a full size pole?
Im gonna say you guys are definitely using magnets
I could have done without Sean bending over in the background showing his underwear…:o
Are you kidding me? Why do you think this video has 210 hits? 
Magnets + chain driven. you can hear the chain
no chain. it is the tetrix gears that dont seem to mesh very well…
do you have a latching mechanism to have the minibot attach to the pole?