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MINDSTORMS Contests at BrickFair VA 2013

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Here's a guest blog entry by Ian Warfield, Mindstorms Theme Leader for BrickFair VA: 

BrickFair VA will be holding four separate contests for LEGO MINDSTORMS enthusiasts this year. The long-running favorites Stock Sumo and Unlimited Sumo will be held again as usual, and there are two new contests as well, Capture the Flag and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
In Capture the Flag, two robots will face off from opposite sides of the table, and the winner will be the first robot that can locate the flag, grab it, and find its way back to home base. The flag is represented by an infrared HiTechnic ball, and as an added complication, it starts out on a flag carrier robot that is wandering randomly around the arena. This contest is recommended for AFOLs, although FOLs of all ages are welcome to compete. 
Journey to the Center of the Earth is a variant of last year's Mine Rescue that will find out which of the robots is best equipped to help minifigs explore the deep underground. Contestants must follow a line drawn on the table, access a plastic bore hole, and lower a minifig safely to the bottom. This contest is recommended for KFOLs and TFOLs, although FOLs of all ages are welcome to compete. 
The official contest rules can be found at the following links:
BrickFair VA will be coming to the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA from August 1-4, 2013. Public hours are on August 3rd and 4th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Sumo



Flag carrier robot 
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