Romania Wins Record European Open VEX Robotics Competition in Andorra; Local Team Secures World Spot
Nearly 200 teens from nine countries competed in L'Aldosa, with Andorra's squad finishing third after a tight semifinal and qualifying for the St. Louis world championship.
Key Points
- Romania won the European Open VEX Robotics Competition in Andorra with 38 teams from 9 countries.
- Andorra's team finished third, qualifying for VEX World Championship in St. Louis.
- Nearly 200 teens aged 12-17 competed in L'Aldosa after months of robot design and programming.
- Event highlights Andorra's growing role in youth STEAM and international robotics.
Andorra hosted the third European Open VEX Robotics competition over the weekend at a pavilion in L'Aldosa, Massana, where Romania took first place among a record 38 teams and nearly 200 participants aged 12 to 17 from nine countries. The Andorran team—Roc Cazorla, Manel Farràs, Guillem Farràs, Lluc Font and Arnau Martí, students in third and fourth year of ESO—finished third after a close semifinal defeat, securing a spot at the VEX World Championship in St. Louis, United States, from April 23 to 27. Qualification came from winning Andorra's national skills challenge.
Organizers expected teams from 10 nations, but Morocco pulled out over visa problems, leaving competitors from the Czech Republic, Finland, Turkey, France and others to form shifting two-on-two robot alliances. Over months, participants designed, built and programmed their machines from scratch, documenting efforts in engineering notebooks with specialized roles in mechanics, software and strategy.
Jordi Nadal, Andorra Telecom director and supporter of youth STEAM programs, described the results as highly positive. He traced the event's growth from a dozen years ago, when six amateur teams competed in Ordino, to this international scale. Three years back, Andorra pioneered the open European format with three countries; last year added a fourth, and this edition reached nine. "It's a success that young people from different countries know Andorra for science and technology," Nadal said, noting how larger nations have since adopted the model.
The gathering reinforced Andorra's technology profile beyond sports tourism. Nadal pointed to rising female participation, though technical university enrollment for girls remains low. Early competitors now study engineering, crediting robotics exposure. Cultural exchanges enriched the event, including the Farràs brothers hosting a Finnish family and cross-division alliances like Czech-Turkish versus Finland-Andorra.
Andorra will host Spain's national VEX finals in September, further cementing its European robotics role.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- Diari d'Andorra•
Terra de robòtica
- Bon Dia•
El 3r European Open de Robòtica acull 38 equips de nou països europeus
- ARA•
Andorra es consolida com a referent europeu en robòtica amb el 3r European Open
- Altaveu•
Andorra fa créixer la robòtica europea
- Diari d'Andorra•
Nou països se citen al Campionat Europeu de Robòtica a Andorra
- El Periòdic•
L’European Open Andorra de robòtica creix fins als 38 equips i nou països i reforça la seva projecció internacional