Check out the FIRST site.
What do you think about the qualifications this year to attend the championship?
The site is “unavailable” at this time!
Could you highlight some of the changes or items with potential for controversy?
Lisa T 
I wonder why the site is down? Misteak(sp) on something???
I did not copy it.
Potential for controversy - qualifications to go to the championship. Minor changes, mainly wording.
All teams that have participated from the very first year 1992 to date consecetivily are in ( I think that is what it said )
Excuse my ignorance, but did FIRST put out a new document on their website outlining the championship qualification criterion? I only see last year’s qualification criterion.
Yes. It was up for only a short while??? I wonder why??
yep, service is all down now, i know yesterday the site said they were having some techical difficulties, so thats probably it. and it was a new registration criteria for nationals, very similar to last years, and in accordance with last years, odd number teams can register this year for the remaining seats
http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/veteran.htm is the website for veteran teams that talks about registration and qualification for the Championships.
That is part of the page. There was a link myusfirst.org that was active. The actual details of the rules for registration were therr.
That link is not working. You get to the next page but need to go deeper to the registration section that is disabled.
they have the TIMS setup for pre-season registraion, as well as pages that outline the dates for everything (different deadlines, registration, shipments etc.) So yeah check out the firstwebsite to get going!!
** FIRST Robotics Competition
2003 Championship Qualification Process
Dear FIRST Robotics Competition Team:
For those of you who are Veteran teams, the qualification process for this year’s FIRST Robotics Competition Championship is essentially the same as 2002.
If you are a Rookie team, please read through the following information carefully to understand how your team can qualify to attend the Championship Event.
All teams must register to compete in a FIRST Robotics Competition Regional Event before they can register for the Championship.
Teams automatically qualify for this year’s Championship in the following ways:
All former Championship Chairman’s Award winners (1992-2002)
Prior year Championship winners
Teams that have participated in every competition year (1992-2002)
Current year Regional Event winners
Current year Regional Chairman’s Award winners
Current year Technical Award winners at Regional Events (Driving Tomorrow’s Technology, Industrial Design, Leadership in Controls, and Quality Awards)
3. Teams may qualify through performance during the prior year (2002) based on a point system. Five (5) points are required to qualify.Regional or Championship Divisional winner - 3 points
Regional or Championship Divisional finalist - 2 points
Regional Chairman’s Award winner - 3 points
Judged Award winner at Regional or Championship Event - 2 points
Top Seed at Regional or Championship Event - 1 point
Top Rookie Seed at Regional or Championship Event - 1 point
4. The balance of the openings will be available on an Odd/Even basis based on Team Number and Championship year.
For the 2003 Championship, Odd numbered teams can register on a first come/first served basis (please note last year Even numbered teams were eligible.)I hope all of you are looking forward to an exciting and challenging 2003 season.
Sincerely,
Robert Hammond
Director, FIRST Robotics Competition
**
I think the qualifications are fair, glad they kept the odd / even…that only makes sense…The point system is good too…
Potential for controversy - qualifications to go to the championship. Minor changes, mainly wording. - Mike Martus
I really do not think that they will make any changes to the rules this year, If they did lets say drop the point system then all the even teams that accumulated 5 points will go one a rampage cause they cannot go. Stuff like that will not be a good thing until next year
I guess were not going…I wish they made former regional chairmans an instrant ticket…
Chris- don’t give up on it. Last year we booked airfare and gagonized all through the various regionals on the waiting list. In the end many of the teams who qualified couldn’t afford to go. We got in on the waiting list and ended up winning the Archimedes division. Prepare to go. Get wait listed. Win a regional this year… You still have a pretty good shot.
WC
The TIMS and the 2003 event list page are both down on the FIRST site. What could this mean?
Maybe there was a change they forgot to put in?