Events and Spinners

**PJ-27** · 13th September 2010, 14:54

Our team is currently building our first robot, but It has occurred to me just how little we know about how events are run, so wondered if anyone could shed some light?

Can you go to events without a running robot? (To meet people, get some insight, etc....)

Are there any events ran in the South-East of England?

Are spinners only entered into an event of their own? And is this only at Robochallenge? Would a vertical flywheel count?

How is the competition run? Is there a winner of each event declared, or is there a championship once a year with bouts over the country leading up to this? Could we just turn up to the events near us only?

Thanks,

**psycho_fling** · 13th September 2010, 16:13

the answers are for the questions in order

yes

check the live events threads and see the distance from your home

spinners are only run (fw anyway) at robochallenge events you cannot run them in normal events

events are run differently depending if its a competition one or not , ie the up coming fw champs. the hw champs are run throughout the year via roaming robots. Robots live run there own competitions ever event

yeh you can come to any event if your taking a robot and want to compete you have to be registered with the FRA then just sign up with the appropriate EO

hope this helps

alex

**typhoon_driver** · 13th September 2010, 16:25

If you read up on the arena guildlines (on the FRA homepage under the rules section) you can see the different gradings of arenas. Basically arenas are graded on a number of factors and these dictate the machines that can be run safely in them.

**PJ-27** · 14th September 2010, 11:32

Thanks for the thorough answers guys!

How should I go about, going to an event without a bot?

Just to clarify, does spinning weapons include drums and circular saws?

Thanks,

**psycho_fling** · 14th September 2010, 11:43

well you could either buy a ticket to an event and then speak to the EO and see if they will let you in the pits after an event. or ask an EO with good notice if you can stay int he pits throughout the event

yes those are BOTH classed as a spinning weapon (presumably you weren't planning on just sticking them on your robot for decoration

)

**Chris230291** · 14th September 2010, 11:53

Originally Posted by psycho_fling

the answers are for the questions in order

spinners are only run (fw anyway) at robochallenge events you cannot run them in normal events

alex

I'm sure I've watched some videos of roaming robots with spinners in it. I've never been to an event and I guess timesa change. So is the information given here upto date? On no ones website could I see any information that clearly stated what weapons are and are not aloud. There verry keen to sign you up but don't make weapon restrictions clear. There's no good driving across the country to find out that they can't acomidate your robot. It's only queries on here that enlightened me to the restrictions. Unless of course I'm missing something obvious.

**psycho_fling** · 14th September 2010, 11:57

currently

robochallenge have the only arena that can safely run FW spinners upto the FRA standards of arena

Roaming Robots and Robots Live dont have arena by the FRA rules that can run FW or HW spinners

alex

**Chris230291** · 14th September 2010, 12:12

Thanks for the quick reply. That's a shame. Are either events likely to upgrade in the near futer or even at all? I'm sure it's within their interest to so right? More Robots competing, more spectators, bigger overall community all to help the growth of the sport (I guess it's a sport if it has a governing body?)

**ady** · 14th September 2010, 12:21

roaming robots used to run spinner events, i attended a fw event in 2007 which contained spinners.
I think not long after they stopped holding spinner events as the arena needed some new upgrades to keep to the standards required by the fra, but it wasnt commercially viable for them, as the costs are alot!
I have read discussions recently that Roaming robots are looking at holding spinner events in the future, but how far that is away, or If it will happen, I dont know....

So to clarify, its only robochallenge that hold spinner events at the moment (feather only spinners), they run 2 events a year i think it is.
I would highly recommend you go to that event, to see the spinners is awesome as their not out to play often.

**Chris230291** · 14th September 2010, 12:37

Originally Posted by ady

roaming robots used to run spinner events, i attended a fw event in 2007 which contained spinners.
I think not long after they stopped holding spinner events as the arena needed some new upgrades to keep to the standards required by the fra, but it wasnt commercially viable for them, as the costs are alot!
I have read discussions recently that Roaming robots are looking at holding spinner events in the future, but how far that is away, or If it will happen, I dont know....

So to clarify, its only robochallenge that hold spinner events at the moment (feather only spinners), they run 2 events a year i think it is.
I would highly recommend you go to that event, to see the spinners is awesome as their not out to play often.

I will be doing my best to get my car back on the road to attend the fleet air museum gig. Thanks for the info.