Highlights and heroes: unforgettable moments from the UK Champs

Picture this: conga lines weaving through the arena, roars of regional pride echoing from every corner of the UK, and high-fives flying across the team pits. The FIRST Tech Challenge UK Championship 2024-25 was more than a competition – it was a two-day festival of innovation, teamwork and energy. 

Whether you were on the field, in the pits or glued to your seat watching matches, one thing’s for sure. This year’s UK Champs was one to remember.

Record-breaking moments

Our winning alliance blew the roof off the Copper Box Arena with a jaw-dropping high score of 295. Huge congrats to Norwood Industries and Powercut Robotics – with an autonomous score of 85 that left the crowd in awe, you’ve set the bar sky-high for next season.

But they weren’t the only teams making headlines. This year saw teams rise in the rankings and rookies turn pro with their head-turning performances. Special shoutouts go to: 

• Triple Six – a community-based team that claimed 2nd place in their division
• Wilsobotics – who joined forces with the Botonauts to clinch a finalist alliance spot

You’re proof that anything is possible, even in your first season!

Repairs, resilience and robot rescues

Meanwhile, our Control System Advisors (CSAs) worked their magic in the pits. They pulled off lightning-fast repairs with Formula 1 precision and speed. 

Circuit Breakers Vol 4 also lent a hand, prepped with emergency kits to keep robots in tip-top condition. Now that’s Coopertition in action – where helping your competitors is part of the win.

And the wildcards? They showed up in style, proving that creativity, grit and owning your team’s uniqueness can take you far. Congrats to Subnautics for earning 3rd place for the Connect Award and to Earth, Wind and Wire for taking home the Judges Award for the second year running!

The competition was fierce, but the energy was nothing but friendly fire and fist bumps. 

Where STEM met sport

Every inch of the venue was electric. Between Martin Brundle-inspired grid walks, social media challenges and inter-team handshakes, teams showed off their impressive bots, Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition. The sportsmanship on display was second to none.

Our emcees kept the energy high with post-match interviews and even the occasional culinary debates – the battle between carbonara and bolognese remains unresolved. Voices may have cracked but the cheers never let up.

What started as wide eyes and nervous smiles turned into team triumphs and victory celebrations. We lost count of the handshakes, high-fives and heartfelt celebrations we saw after matches. 

A first for FIRST UK

As if holding our biggest championship yet wasn’t enough, we raised the bar again!

We hosted our first-ever interaction zone, bringing STEM to life in the most exciting way possible. 

From state-of-the-art surgical robots to LED snake challenges, young people got hands-on with the technology they’ll help develop in the future. It wasn’t just about having fun; it was about giving our young people a window into the possibilities that await them in STEM.

Thank you to Arm, Moneygram Haas F1 Team, Intuitive, Raytheon UK, Raspberry Pi and the National Robotarium for joining us and making the experience unforgettable. You helped us inspire the next generation of innovators, engineers and problem-solvers.

More Than Robots

The heartbeat of the event? The community. 

Our incredible Youth Ambassadors took the mic, conducted interviews, took over our social channels, and even helped game announce. Their voice helped capture the stories behind the robots. 

We also celebrated those who go above and beyond. Congrats to our Volunteer of the Year and Compass Award nominees, recognised for their unwavering support and commitment to our young people.

The numbers tell the story

You can’t measure what we achieved in numbers – but these stats tell one incredible story. 

• 2 action-packed days 
• 64 epic teams 
• 676 young people 
• 231 volunteers
• Countless cheers, hugs and celebrations 
• A few happy tears 
• 1 unforgettable experience

Until next time

The UK Champs was made possible by an army of champions. To our teams, partners, supporters, volunteers, mentors, Champion Organisations, Team Leads, exhibitors, emcees, Youth Ambassadors and alumni – thank you. You kept the cogs turning, the lights on and the energy unstoppable.

From wild ideas and late-night lightbulb moments, our teams dived INTO THE DEEP and emerged champions, each in their own right. 

This is only the beginning. Next stop: DECODE presented by RTX. 

We’ll see you there.