Maelstrom

Maelstrom was a heavyweight robot that attempted to enter Series 8 of Robot Wars. It was submitted for qualification alongside Team Shock's other heavyweights MAnta and Shockwave, but was not selected, with Shockwave ultimately being chosen to compete in the series. Prior to this, Maelstrom had enjoyed considerable success at Robot Wars Live Events, and other live robotic events.

Maelstrom was a rebranded and repurposed version of Series 7 Semi-Finalist St. Agro, following its sale by that team.

Outside Robot Wars
St. Agro was sold to Team Shock in 2008, who gradually rebuilt the robot over the years, and renamed it Maelstrom. When the original chassis of Maelstrom became too worn out, Maelstrom 2 was built to replace it. Being built by a new team with brand new components, Maelstrom is effectively unrelated to St. Agro beyond being its spiritual successor.

Team Shock helped it reach the final of the Roaming Robots 2009 UK Championship, only to lose to Terrorhurtz, and the Robots Live! UK Championships where it lost to Big Nipper.

Robot Wars Live Events
Maelstrom competed in the first live event of the new Robot Wars at Barnsley in February 2013, winning on a judges decision beating Kronic, Ripper & Thor. Maelstrom also reached the finals at Portsmouth 2013 losing to Eruption and Widnes in 2013 where it lost to Iron-Awe 5. It also won the Robot Wars live event at Colchester 2013 beating Eruption, Kronic & Behemoth. Team Shock also compete with Manta, a blue and grey wedge-shaped robot armed with a large pneumatic flipper, and Shockwave, a competitor in Series 8 of Robot Wars. At the end of 2013, Maelstrom competed in the Robot Wars Winter Tour 2013 where it did very well in the heats finishing second in the Primary heats against Ripper and the Secondary heats agains the teams own Manta. Unfortunately, this didn't earn it the points it needed to qualify for the finals held in Gloucester.

In 2014, a new similarly designed chassis of Maelstrom was built under the name of Maelstrom 2 as the original St. Agro chassis was starting to wear out and is now put on display.

In 2015, Maelstrom 2 fought at Barnsley where it reached the semi-finals of the competition held at the event before being beaten by Dystopia. It also fought in the World Championships 2015 at Colchester where it defeated Rybot by flipping it onto its side, but Maelstrom broke down after a joint attack from Tough as Nails and Kan-Opener, eliminating Maelstrom in the first round.

Series Record
NOTE: Will Thomas' students entered Series 10 with Track-tion