New Zealand was fortunate enough to host the 2017 Asia Pacific Robotics Championship. This is a huge event featuring the VEX Robotics Competition (both High School and Middle School), the VEX IQ Challenge (both Middle School and Elementary School), BDS Challenge, and Humanoid Challenge. Hundreds of teams from across the Asia Pacific region descended on Rotorua to participate.
AURA provided a large portion of the required volunteer force. Referees for the VEX Robotics Competition were entirely from AURA, a challenging task with some of the hardest calls and decisions ever made on New Zealand shores. AURA personal also assisted with other areas of the competition, from scoring matches to event management and everything in between.
Helping with such a large event was an incredible experience for all involved. Away from the competition, AURA members mingled with other volunteers and had a fantastic time relaxing and making friends. Supporting high school teams and hosting events is one of the associations core goals as a club, so AURA was eager to assist with the operation of the Asia Pacific Championship, and looks forward to other similar events.