Send-off for team participating in ACM-ICPC International Collegiate Programming Contest 2016 World Finals held

From left: Coach Watanabe, Yamashita, Yamaguchi, Chairperson of the Board of Executives and President Oka

On Tuesday April 26, 2016, University of Aizu team FinalZukky (*1) reported their upcoming participation in the ACM-ICPC 2016 World Finals (*2) to President Oka. The World Finals will be held from the 15th (Sun) to 20th (Fri) of May at Prince of Songkla University in Phuket, Thailand.

Tadamasa Yamaguchi (4th-year undergraduate) commented "I will leverage what I have learned so far to the maximum extent at the World Finals".
Takumi Yamashita (3rd-year undergraduate) expressed his determination, stating "We hope to show the results of hard practice by doing our absolute best".
Kazuki Omomo (March, 2016 graduate), who couldn't attend the send-off, commented "The six years I spent training at the UoA were all to make it to the ACM-ICPC World Finals. This time was my last chance, but I was able to secure a spot in the World Finals. We have less than a month until the World Finals. Although I was away from my team because I started my career this April, we have continued our team practice over the internet. This will be the last ACM-ICPC contest I can ever participate in. I will do my best so that I do not have any regrets".

Coach Yutaka Watanobe (*3) explained how diligently members had trained; three to five hours team practice three times per week, as well as individual practice. Coach Watanobe encouraged team members and commented "Less than a month remains until the World Finals. I want you guys to make your final preparation so that you can bring out your best in the finals and not having any regrets.

President Oka encouraged the students and said "Your competing at the world level will inspire other students. I want you to keep your hearts hot but your heads cool in the finals. If you do this, you will able to make a good use of this opportunity and show what you are capable of. Since the World Finals will be held overseas, please be careful to maintain your physical condition, including your diet, etc. Victory or defeat will be determined by your mental strength, stay on the offensive and be aggressive.

This is the second time that the University of Aizu will have competed in the ACM World Finals, with the first time being seven years ago in 2009 (*4). The team aim to rewrite the UoA's record of 49th place at the 2009 World Finals.

*1 Readm more about FinalZukky: "UoA team secures spot in ACM-ICPC International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals!"

*2 The ACM-ICPC World Finals :An international programming contest for university students held by the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) since 1976, the ICPC is a contest in which teams of three students try to answer as many problems in as short a time as possible. As the only world-level programming contest for university students, the universities and teams that compete are highly respected around the world.
Here is the web site of the Competitive Programming Club.

*3 Associate Professor Yutaka Watanobe

*4 News archive: Team "Watch.C" Makes Great Efforts at ACM-ICPC