NorCal Knockout 2025

Slugbotics presents NorCal Knockout at UC Santa Cruz!

Weight classes: Plastic Antweight, Antweight, Beetleweight

When: Saturday, March 1st, 2025

Where: Baskin Cir, Santa Cruz, CA 95064

All weapons need a weapon safety lock. LiPo batteries must be managed and stored properly. The stream will be hosted by Reject Robotics on Twitch. This is a PRIVATE EVENT being held as part of MESA Day, and as such no audiences are allowed.

 

If you'd like to volunteer with set-up, tear-down, or general logistics, we'd really enjoy the help!

https://forms.gle/HJm7EucoVegPdzi1A

 

Slugbotics' Precautions:

• This event will be held outdoors, please dress warmly if it's a cold day.
• If it is overcast or rainy, the arena will be located under the 2nd story bridge and pits will be moved against the wall under the walkway of E2.
• Masks are recommended.
• Pits are only accessible to builders and staff.

Pit Space:

• Please bring power strips, chairs, and tables! We will be under an awning so no need for ez-ups.

Tournament Rules:

• Following Modified SPARC General Rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xXDSJXkHBvfBLgVxA2r7ZsOnjg4UGKthaf1kO3nX4zA/
• Tournament structure will be double elimination or round robin depending on the number of entrants. 
• Driver's limits have been modified:
  • There is a limit of one bot per driver in the Plastic Antweight class ONLY. If you have one bot in the plastic antweight class, you can enter multiple other Full Combat Antweights or Beetleweights.
  • If you have a Full Combat Antweight or Beetleweight, you can enter one Plastic Antweight bot to pilot.
• This ruling has been changed due to an expectation of drops in the current Plastic Antweight Bracket.
• All competing robots MUST have a photo on RCE. If no photo is uploaded by 2/1/2025, that robot will be moved to the waitlist.

Schedule:

Safety Check-Off & Bot Check-In: 9:00AM - 10:15AM

Driver's Meeting: 10:20AM

Matches Start: 10:30AM

Lunch Break: 11:00AM

Fights Resume: 12:10PM

Awards: 6:30 PM

Parking

Instructions:

The competition will take place at Baskin Courtyard, at UC Santa Cruz as part of MESA Day. This event is private, and only accessible for builders, staff, and volunteers. Loading/unloading will happen at Baskin Circle, and ParkMobile parking is available all day for competitors and spectators across the street in the Core West parking garage.

The main arena and all safety testing will happen outdoors in the courtyard, with pit space under the awning of the 2nd floor patio of Engineering 2. Please use all necessary PPE when operating energized handtools. Additionally, due to university safety restrictions, leaded solder is not permitted.

All weightclass will be run staggered in a 6'x6' square arena with FRP flooring, provided by Bunny from Team Malice. The Arena will be swept for debris between matches. Huge shoutout to Bunny and Team Malice for providing the arena for this event!

Bots may not be operated outside the arena or test box, please see any of the event organizers for help with testing. When outside the arena or test box, all bots must have a weapon lock on. All bots must receive a safety checkoff by one of the designated safety officers before 10:15am (again, please talk to an event organizer for help or questions).

There will be a lunch break from 11:00AM to 12:10PM (70 min) for competitors and staff to relax. We're able to provide free pizza and snacks for our competitors from Pizza My Heart and Team Malice! There will be gluten-free pizza (does not contain tree-nuts, prepared in separate oven). 

NorCal Knockout 2025 is proudly sponsored by SendCutSend (SCS) and Repeat Robotics (RR), who've offered to provide a combined prize pool for the following weight-classes:

• 1st PLAnts: $40 (RR)
• 2nd PLAnts: $20 (RR)

• 1st Ants: $40 (SCS) + $40 (RR)
• 2nd Ants: $30 (SCS) + $20 (RR)
• 3rd Ants: $20 (SCS) + $20 (RR)
   
• 1st Beetles: $100 (SCS) + $40 (RR)
• 2nd Beetles: $70 (SCS) + $20 (RR)
• 3rd Beetles: $40 (SCS) + $20 (RR)

All podium placers also recieve a small trophy noting their placement.

Please email rperson@ucsc.edu for any inquiries, or if you'd like to volunteer as a pit-runner, judge, or to assist with set-up or tear-down.