ITKAN's ICQC team emerges as Rumeli Division Semifinalists at the Istanbul Premier Event

CompetitionGlobal

By Sophia Baragatti

The ITKAN ICQC team poses with their robot at the Istanbul Premier Event — The ITKAN ICQC team with their robot at the Istanbul Premier Event.

ITKAN's ICQC team traveled halfway across the world to Istanbul, Turkey for the Istanbul Premier Event — and returned as Rumeli Division Semifinalists, holding their own against a truly international field.

The setting was unforgettable. The venue sat among some of the world's most storied landmarks — the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque just beyond its doors — and the field was packed with teams from around the globe.

Turning Obstacles Into Alliances

The competition wasn't without hurdles. With no dedicated practice field on site, ITKAN's students teamed up with other squads to share space and sharpen their strategy — communicating across language barriers to make it work. To move faster under pressure, the team divided and conquered, distributing tasks so every job got done on time.

An ITKAN ICQC student coordinates with a member of another team in the pits at the Istanbul venue — Coordinating with another team in the pits — collaboration that crossed language barriers.

Beyond the standings, the trip was about connection. ITKAN's students traded ideas and built friendships with competitors from around the world, proving that great engineering — and great sportsmanship — speak a universal language.

An overhead view of an FTC match in progress at the Istanbul Premier Event, with robots on the field and drive teams at the alliance stations — Match action from above at the Istanbul Premier Event.

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