National Championship

About the Event

The Puerto Rico National Robotics Championship is an official VEX Robotics Competition Event Region Championship hosted by Caribbean Robotics Academy (CRA). This event brings together teams from across the region for a 3-day of educational and competitive robotics experience, offering them the opportunity to qualify for the VEX Robotics World Championship.

Event Format

The Puerto Rico National Robotics Championship is officially recognized as an Event Region Championship within the VEX Robotics Competition structure. By participating in the Puerto Rico Robotics National Championship, teams have the chance to qualify for the VEX Robotics World Championship, where the best teams in the world compete for top honors.

The Puerto Rico National Robotics Championship is organized as an Invitational Tournament. The event is structured as follows:

Qualification Matches
All teams participate in qualification matches randomly paired in two alliances, one blue, one red, to determine rankings based on performance and alliance results.

Alliance Selection

After qualification matches are completed, the top-ranked teams become alliance captains and take turns selecting partner teams for the elimination rounds.

Elimination/Final Matches

Teams advance to elimination rounds to determine the event champions.

Robot Skills Challenge
Teams may also participate in Robot Skills Challenge, where teams try to score as many points as possible in two ways:

Driving Skills (3 attempts): A team member manually drives the robot to complete the challenge.
Programming Skills (3 attempts): The robot runs an autonomous program without driver input.

Teams have a total of 6 attempts (3 driving + 3 programming), which must be completed within the timeframe determined by the event agenda. For more information about the Robot Skills Challenge rules please visit the Official Game Manual.

Remote Interviews

Judges meet with the team virtually to ask questions about their design process, teamwork, and approach to the challenge.

In-Person Follow Up Interviews

During the competition, judges conduct a short follow-up interview to confirm the team’s answers and ensure that all work is student-led in alignment with the REC Foundation’s student-centered policy.

Event Awards

Excellence Award
The Excellence Award recognizes overall excellence in both the Judged Award and the Performance Award categories. The Excellence Award incorporates all the criteria of the Design Award, plus the added component of a team’s on-field performance at the event. The Excellence Award is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Excellence Award-Elementary School
VIQRC Excellence Award-Middle School
V5RC Excellence Award-Middle School
V5RC Excellence Award-High School
VURC Excellence Award-College/University

Tournament/ Teamwork Champion(s)

Awarded to the team or the alliance (two teams) that wins the final round of the tournament. The Tournament/Teamwork Champions are presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Teamwork Champions
V5RC Tournament Champions
VURC Tournament Champion

Tournament/Teamwork Finalist(s)

Awarded to the team or the alliance (two teams) that finishes as the runner-up in the tournament finals. The Tournament/Teamwork Finalist(s) are presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Teamwork Finalists
V5RC Tournament Finalists
VURC Tournament Finalist

Robot Skills Champion

Awarded to the team with the highest combined Driving Skills and Programming Skills score at the event. The Robot Skills Champion is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Robot Skills Champion
V5RC Robot Skills Champion
VURC Robot Skills Champion

Robot Skills 2nd Place

Awarded to the team with the second-highest combined Driving Skills and Programming Skills score at the event. The Robot Skills 2nd Place is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Robot Skills 2nd Place
V5RC Robot Skills 2nd Place
VURC Robot Skills 2nd Place

Robot Skills 3rd Place

Awarded to the team with the third-highest combined Driving Skills and Programming Skills score at the event. The Robot Skills 3rd Place is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Robot Skills 3rd Place
V5RC Robot Skills 3rd Place
VURC Robot Skills 3rd Place

Design Award

The Design Award recognizes an organized and professional approach to the Engineering Design Process, project and time management, and team organization. Student demonstration of the Engineering Design Process is fundamental to the educational value of REC Foundation programs. The Design Award recognizes a team's ability to document and explain their Engineering Design Process via an Engineering Notebook and Team Interview. The Design Award is a required award if judging occurs at an event.
Robot Skills Champion. The Design Award is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Design Award
V5RC Design Award
VURC Design Award

Judges Award

The Judges Award recognizes attributes Judges felt were deserving of special recognition. The Judges Award is a required award if judging is being conducted at an event. Optionally, a second Judges Award may be presented at an event at the discretion of the Event Partner and Judge Advisor. This second Judges award may be required for some event types. The Judges Award is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Judges Award
V5RC Judges Award
VURC Judges Award

Innovate Award

The Innovate Award recognizes an effective and well documented design process for a novel aspect of the team’s robot design or gameplay strategy. The submission of an Engineering Notebook is a requirement for the Innovate Award. The team must indicate to Judges where this aspect can be found in their Engineering Notebook via the Innovate Award Submission Information Form, which must be placed within their Engineering Notebook. Teams can only submit a single aspect for consideration at an event. The team who earns the Innovate Award should also meet all of the criteria for the Design Award. The Innovate Award is presented in the following categories:

VIQRC Innovate Award
V5RC Innovate Award
VURC Innovate Award

Think Award

The Think Award recognizes effective and consistent use of coding techniques and programming design solutions to solve the game challenge. The Think Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Think Award

Amaze Award

The Amaze Award recognizes a consistently high-performing and competitive robot. The Amaze Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Amaze Award

Create Award

The Create Award recognizes a creative engineering design solution to one or more of the challenges of the competition. The Create Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Create Award

Build Award

The Build Award recognizes a well-constructed robot that is built with a high degree of attention to detail in order to hold up to the rigors of competition. The Build Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Build Award

Sportsmanship Award

The Sportsmanship Award recognizes a high degree of good sportsmanship, helpfulness, respect, and a positive attitude both on and off the competition field. The Sportsmanship Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Sportsmanship Award

Inspire Award

The Inspire Award recognizes passion for the competition and positivity at the event. The Inspire Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Inspire Award

Energy Award
The Energy Award recognizes outstanding enthusiasm and excitement at the event. The Energy Award is presented in the following categories:

V5RC Energy Award

Mentor of the Year Award

The Mentor of the Year Award recognizes a team mentor who has helped students achieve goals that were seemingly out of reach. This individual is a role model, a leader, and an extraordinary mentor who shows students new ways to expand their knowledge and solve problems in the world of STEM.

Partner of the Year Award

The Partner of the Year Award recognizes an organization that consistently supports students and schools as they pursue excellence in competitive robotics. The recipient of this award is recognized as a champion who dedicates their time, abilities, and resources to ensure affordability and accessibility for all participants.

Volunteer of the Year Award

The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual who leads the effort to "make things happen.” Hosting a robotics event takes the collective effort of many people who give their time and effort for the sake of the participants. The Volunteer of the Year demonstrates a commitment and devotion to their community, putting in many hours of hard work with persistence and passion to make events happen.

Competition Path

Local Qualifying Events
Teams begin their journey in local qualifying events, such as the Cañuelas Robotics League, where they compete in ranking matches, Robot Skills challenges, and may earn judged awards. Performance at these events determines eligibility for higher-level competitions.

Regional Qualifying Events
Teams that qualify through local qualifying events are invited to Regional Qualifying Events like the Puerto Rico National Robotics Championship, where the top teams compete for national recognition and advancement opportunities.

International Events
Top-performing teams at the regional qualifying events may earn a coveted spot at the VEX Robotics World Championship, the largest robotics competition in the world, where teams from over 40 countries compete.