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\nTeam Brazil was crowned champion at the Robot Rampage World Cup.
\nPhoto: Robot Rampage\n<\/p>\n
Fought inside a bulletproof cage, a battle between combat robots is not for the faint-hearted.<\/p>\n
It’s the grand final of Robot Rampage World Cup, a four day competition between teams from New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and the United States.<\/p>\n
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\nSparks are a common sight during the battle between the bots.
\nPhoto: Robot Rampage\n<\/p>\n
Unfolding on a quiet Sunday evening at Auckland’s shopping suburb Onehunga, the venue is packed with enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
Ten-year-old Elon Jacobs secured a front row seat to catch the sparks, the clashes, and sometimes even a small fire.<\/p>\n
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\nTen year old Elon Jacobs brought a robot he is building to the battle.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
“It’s really loud and there’s a lot of robots fighting today. So far there’s been a lot of action and it’s been very fun.”<\/p>\n
He had been sketching robots since he was four years old, and thinks robotics will definitely be a big part of his future.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, the battle was between Brazil and USA.<\/p>\n
Thirteen-year-old Josephine Estevez gave her predictions.<\/p>\n
“Brazil looks like it’s winning. I do enjoy watching different robots. I really like Touro. That was a great design. Displaying blade and it being a mostly defense robot, it’s very locked in on all sides and very sturdy looking.”<\/p>\n
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\nJosephine Estevez and Kira Matevie are enjoying the battle between the robots.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
Her mom, Kira Matevie, the bigger robotic fan among the two, has her eyes laid on other robots.<\/p>\n
“For tonight, I’ll have to say my favorite is Jump Rope because he’s a showboat, I like that. But my favorite robot to date is Black Rose. It reminds me of a vacuum cleaner.”<\/p>\n
The matches are livestreamed for free, but that didn’t stop Ashley and Bryan Pierre booking a trip from USA to watch in person.<\/p>\n
“It’s a neat format that they have here. You have five robots and basically until all your robots are out, you keep going. So, they kind of need a little bit of strategy to play. Do they want to fix a robot after the match if they win? They only got eight minutes to fix it. Not a lot of time if they got a lot of damage.”<\/p>\n
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Photo: Robot Rampage\n<\/p>\n
After Bryan introduced Ashley to battlebots, robots quickly infiltrated every part of the couple’s life.<\/p>\n
“Our wedding rings are made of a battle bot. We’re from Wisconsin and Team Wyachi is from Wisconsin. One of their main bot, Son of Wyachi, they sent us a signed part of Son of Wyachi.”<\/p>\n
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\nAshley and Bryan Pierre’s wedding rings are made of a part of one of their favorite combat robots.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
Ashley said turning the signed part into rings is another miracle.<\/p>\n
“We randomly met someone who could work titanium and they were able to save the signature and make 4 rings out of it.”<\/p>\n
Back inside the cage, the decisive moment arrives.<\/p>\n
As Brazil’s Touro Feather defeated USA’s last standing bot, they were declared champions!<\/p>\n
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\nThe decisive moment when Team Brazil defeated Team USA.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
Team Captain Matheus Freitas said the victory means a lot.<\/p>\n
“It’s such an amazing fight. We are from 4 different teams from Brazil, we designed two new robots that we put to test here. It did such a great job, and we are very excited for the results. It’s our first time here on New Zealand. I hope that we come on more times in the future.”<\/p>\n
His family had been up early to watch him fight.<\/p>\n
“When the live stream started, it’s 3am in Brazil and they [stayed up] just to watch and send good energies to us.”<\/p>\n
The team brings together members from Brazil’s top robot combat teams, and Freitas said their strategy paid off.<\/p>\n
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\nIn between fights, the Brazil team works on fixing their robots.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
“We won the first fight with Dark Khaos and then we unfortunately got some damage and then we swapped that, very strategically, and then we brought Jublieu. Jublieu did such a good damage on Synthesis 30, and then we put Touro, Touro did the rest of the job.”<\/p>\n
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\nThe competition format means teams have very little time to fix their robots.
\nPhoto: Robot Rampage\n<\/p>\n
Getting to New Zealand was a battle in itself.<\/p>\n
Together, the Brazilians travelled with more than 180 kilograms of gear.<\/p>\n
Team member Jo\u00e3o Marcos Cavalheiro recounted his journey.<\/p>\n
“From Brazil to Miami, Miami to Atlanta, Atlanta to Austin, then we drove to Dallas, and Dallas to Houston, and Houston to New Zealand, six flights.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, runnerup Team USA is looking on the bright side.<\/p>\n
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\nTeam USA is fully made up of members without engineering backgrounds.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
Captain Sam Hanson is proud the team is made up entirely of members with no engineering background, and encourages anyone to give robot building a go.<\/p>\n
“One of them is a student. One is a nurse. I managed a farmer’s market. I’ve been building fighting robots since the early 2000s. All the information is on the internet. You don’t have to be an engineer. You just have to want to do it.”<\/p>\n
Hosting the event was Robot Rampage, a venue founded by friends Jack Barker and Nick Mabey.<\/p>\n
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\nJack Barker and Nick Mabey are founders of Robot Rampage. Outside of hosting events, the space also runs robot building and fighting experiences.
\nPhoto: Ke-Xin Li\/RNZ\n<\/p>\n
Barker said the venue has 90 seats, but there were more people standing.<\/p>\n
“I’m really stoked with the turnout. We’ve had six shows and every single seat has been sold out.”<\/p>\n
He said there is a special appeal to the format.<\/p>\n
“Normally it’s a 1v1 fight, but this is a 5v5 fight format. It’s more exciting because instead of supporting one robot for one fight, you get to support your country between five to nine matches.”<\/p>\n
Barker said it took them two years to build the venue with a bulletproof cage, and now they intend to fully utilise it.<\/p>\n
Their next event – Kings Crown – is scheduled for May at Robot Rampage in Onehunga.<\/p>\n