Long Beach Robotics Team Wins World Championship Bid

Long Beach High School's Riptide Robotics team departed for Houston on Tuesday to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship. Students, faculty, and the music department gathered for a send-off as the team left.

The team qualified after strong performances at the Hofstra Regional. At the world championship, they will compete against top robotics teams from around the globe in matches where robots complete specific tasks within set time frames. Judges also evaluate teams on their engineering process, community outreach, and teamwork.

Riptide Robotics launched seven years ago as a student club focused on engineering and technology. Members spend the season designing, building, programming, and testing robots, requiring skills in mechanical engineering, electrical systems, computer programming, and project management. This marks the team's first qualification for the world championship level.