Team 610’s Season of Progress
Team 610’s 2026 robotics competition season was defined by excellence, innovation, and a commitment to both performance and community. Over three major competitions, they developed their engineering skills, showcased their sportsmanship, and earned multiple awards.
This year’s robot, Orthrus, was designed and built by the team, but in a rare occurrence, the Grade 9 team members provided parts for the machine and helped to install an upgraded metal cart, retiring the old wooden cart. Click here for the March 5 robot reveal video.
The season began at the North Bay FIRST Robotics Competition (March 21–22), where the team delivered a remarkable showing. Team 610 was undefeated in qualifications with a perfect 12–0–0 record, an achievement accomplished only twice before in team history. They also piloted their “Roving Repair Team,” a group of students who offered electrical and mechanical assistance to other teams during this competition, with great success. “ We have so many kids on our team who are so capable,” says Director of Robotics Marcella Fioroni. “We're very lucky that we get to do this.” They advanced to the finals, but their journey ended when two robots in their alliance had mechanical breakdowns. They earned the Autonomous Award for their high-performance robot and were recognized for their support of other teams with a Gracious Professionalism pin from a peer team. Their robot, praised by a FIRST Canada co-founder as 610’s “best in 10 years,” set an early tone for the season.
One week later, at the Waterloo District Event, the team demonstrated resilience and adaptability. After rapid improvements to their robot, they posted an 8–4–0 record and advanced to the finals as part of Alliance 2. Team 610 stood out as the only alliance to challenge the dominant top seed, Alliance 1, handing them their only loss. They received the Gracious Professionalism Award for their work in helping other teams, while also setting a 2026 record for the highest combined match score. They ultimately fell short in the series, but still showed growth and determination.
At the Ontario Provincial Championships in Niagara Falls (April 23–26), Team 610 continued to impress among the province’s top competitors. Finishing with an 8–4–0 record and a 7th-place ranking, they advanced to the playoffs but were ultimately defeated in their third match. “While it was a tough loss, our team handled it with integrity and gratitude for an amazing season,” says Fioroni. The team earned the Industrial Design Award, highlighting the strength of their engineering and creativity. Team co-president and Head of Design Hudson Haas ’26 took the opportunity to speak to his teammates after the competition, commending them on how far they had come as a team and how well they worked together.
With a season record of 45–20–0, Team 610 came in 12th of 120 teams in the province and 75th of 3724 teams worldwide. “On this team, our primary goal has always been to build students, not robots, and this year we accomplished that resoundingly,” says Shawn Lim, Upper School Mathematics teacher and Robotics mentor. “Great robots are simply a consequence of developing great students.” As some Grade 12 team members graduate, they leave the program in capable hands, with many younger students already demonstrating strong initiative and promise. While the season didn’t end exactly how they had hoped, their resolve has been sharpened and they are looking forward to returning to competition next year.
