The Nebraska / Iowa VEX IQ Regional Championship took place on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Elementary and Middle School students from Iowa and Nebraska came together to compete in the Ringmaster game, with top finishers earning qualification spots for the VEX IQ World Championship.
How to Register
All registered Iowa and Nebraska VEX IQ teams were eligible for the Regional Championship. Coaches registered via the official event page on RobotEvents.com, with a registration deadline of February 20th.
Event Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, March 3, 2018 — Starting at 8 AM |
| Venue | St. Cecilia Cathedral Gym, 3869 Webster St., Omaha, NE |
| Cost | $35 per team |
| Registration deadline | February 20, 2018 |
| Skills attempts | 4 max Driver, 4 max Programming per team |
| Qualification matches | 8 per team |
| Finals alliances | 10 |
What to Expect
With a significant increase in registered VEX IQ teams compared to prior years, the event moved to a larger venue — the St. Cecilia Cathedral Gym — to provide ample space for students, competition fields, parking, and spectators.
The event featured:
- Three Teamwork competition fields and three Skills Challenge fields
- All fields raised to 18 inches — the same height as the VEX IQ World Championship fields
- Design and Excellence Awards presented at grade level, giving both Elementary and Middle School teams their own opportunity to earn top honors
World Championship Qualification
Four total World Championship qualification spots were available:
- Middle School Excellence Award — 1 spot
- Elementary School Excellence Award — 1 spot
- Teamwork Champion — 2 spots (one for each team in the champion alliance)
Awards
The Regional Championship offered awards across multiple categories. See the 2018 Regional Championship Awards guide for full award descriptions.
Official Documentation
The Regional Championship followed REC Foundation documentation closely:
- VEX IQ Challenge Ringmaster Game Manual
- VEX IQ Challenge Ringmaster Q&A Summary
- VEX IQ Challenge Qualifying Criteria
- Robot Inspection Checklist
- Judge Guide
- STEM Research Project Rubric and Design Award Rubric
- Team Design Notebooks and Team Journals
Questions were directed to the Regional Support Manager, Kirk Norrid.