BEST OF VENTURA COUNTY 2016 | Recreation

Arcade

1st Place
GOLF N’ STUFF, 5555 Walker St., Ventura, 644-7131

2nd Place
VENTURA HARBOR VILLAGE, 1583 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, 477-0470

3rd Place
BUENA LANES, 1788 Mesa Verde Ave., Ventura, 677-7770

Beach

1st Place
VENTURA STATE BEACH

2nd Place
SURFERS POINT

3rd Place
PIERPONT

Bike Trail

1st Place
VENTURA RIVER TRAIL

2nd Place
VENTURA PIER PROMENADE

3rd Place
SYCAMORE CANYON

Bowling

1st Place
BUENA LANES, 1788 Mesa Verde Ave., Ventura, 677-7770

2nd Place
DISCOVERY VENTURA, 1888 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura, 856-2695

3rd Place
HARLEY’S CAMARILLO BOWL, 305 Arneill Road (Ponderosa Center), Camarillo, 482-0747

Campground

1st Place
LAKE CASITAS

2nd Place
EMMA WOOD

3rd Place
VENTURA RANCH KOA, 7400 Pine Grove Road, 933-3200

Car Show

1st Place
VENTURA NATIONALS, www.venturanationals.com

2nd Place
FATHER’S DAY AT CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR, www.channelislandsharbor.org

3rd Place
CAMARILLO OLD TOWN CRUISE NIGHTS, 2220 E. Ventura Blvd., Camarillo, 443-9219

Charity Event

1st Place
CASA PACIFICA ANGELS WINE, FOOD & BREW FESTIVAL, 1 University Drive, CSU, Channel Islands, Camarillo, 366-4011

2nd Place
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, RELAY FOR LIFE OF VENTURA, relay4lifeventura@gmail.com

3rd Place

OJAI WINE FESTIVAL, ojaiwinefestival.com, 648-4881, 646-3794

Cultural Event

1st Place
ARTWALK VENTURA, www.artwalkventura.org

2nd Place
VENTURA MUSIC FESTIVAL, 472 E. Santa Clara St., Ventura, 648-3146

3rd Place
CASA PACIFICA ANGELS WINE, FOOD & BREW FESTIVAL, 1 University Drive, CSU, Channel Islands, Camarillo, 366-4011

EDITOR’S PICK

Team #3925 poses with “Limbot” and their peers from Ventura’s FIRST robotics club.

Best way for kids to get tech-savvy

Domo arigato, robotics team #3925, headquartered at Ventura High School

Robots can be the things of nightmares, as portrayed in movies such as Terminator and Bicentennial Man, or the bringers of comedy, as portrayed in
Short Circuit or Bicentennial Man. Right here in Ventura, however, they are the stuff of championships, and a group of high school students is bringing home the gold.
Since 2012, Ventura High School-based Team 3925, aka The Circuit of Life, has competed in regional and national competitions as part of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics program. In their inaugural year, the team was awarded Rookie of the Year, and this year won a spot at the national competition in St. Louis, Missouri.
In March, the team, made up of students from all over Ventura County, took part in the Robotics Stronghold Competition, along with over 1,000 kids from Southern California and beyond, aged 13 to 18 in grades 9 through 12. Teams had to build, test and program their machines over a six week period, after which an epic Lord of the Rings but with robots-style-battle took place to determine the mechanical masters. Robots had to be able to climb, catapult balls and overcome obstacles to score points. Of course, the “storm the castle”-style event was medieval-themed.
The Circuit of Life’s robot, “Sir Breaks-a-Lot,” did well enough to move on to St. Louis where it competed against 600 teams from the world over.
In the end, the team and the competitions are all in part due to the focus on promoting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programs. The team utilizes mentors from the public sector, including robotics experts from Haas Automation Inc. and the Air National Guard. Twice a week, the team volunteers at the Boys and Girls
Club, where it leads demonstrations on the fundamentals of engineering and robotics. The team has also developed the LEGO League competitions to promote an interest in
engineering with younger children.
For more information on Team 3925 and FIRST Robotics, visit www.team3925.com or www.firstinspires.org. — Chris O’Neal

Golf Course

1st Place
RIVER RIDGE GOLF CLUB, 2401 W. Vineyard Ave., Oxnard, 983-4653

2nd Place
BUENAVENTURA GOLF COURSE, 5882 Olivas Park Drive, Ventura, 677-6772

3rd Place
OLIVAS LINKS, 3750 Olivas Park Drive, 677-6770

Hiking Trail

1st Place
VENTURA BOTANICAL GARDENS INC., www.venturabotanicalgardens.com, 232-3113

2nd Place
ARROYO VERDE PARK, Ventura

3rd Place
SYCAMORE CANYON

Just for Kids

1st Place
SKY HIGH SPORTS, 166 N. Aviador St., Camarillo, 484-6300

2nd Place
GOLF N’ STUFF, 5555 Walker St., Ventura, 644-7131

3rd Place
PUMP IT UP, 5120 Ralston St., Ventura, 339-9669

Local Athlete

1st Place
MARY OSBORNE

2nd Place
CHELSEY GRIGSBY

3rd Place
FABIO LEOPOLDO

Local Sports Team

1st Place
VENTURA HIGH SCHOOL COUGARS

2nd Place
BUENA HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOGS

3rd Place
VENTURA COUNTY DERBY DARLINS

Museum

1st Place
RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley, 522-2977

2nd Place
MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY, 100 E. Main St., Ventura, 653-0323

3rd Place
CHANNEL ISLANDS MARITIME MUSEUM, 3900 Bluefin Circle, Oxnard, 984-6260

Overnight Accommodations

1st Place
EMBASSY SUITES MANDALAY BEACH, 2101 Mandalay Beach Road, Oxnard, 984-2500

2nd Place
CROWNE PLAZA VENTURA BEACH, 450 E. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, 648-2100

3rd Place
WYNDHAM/PIERPONT INN, 550 Sanjon Road, Ventura, 643-0245 

Place to Swim

1st Place
VENTURA AQUATIC CENTER, 901 S. Kimball Road, Ventura, 654-7511

2nd Place
LAKE CASITAS WATER ADVENTURE, 11311 Santa Ana Road, Ventura, 649-1122

3rd Place
VENTURA FAMILY YMCA, 3760 Telegraph Road, Ventura, 642-2131

Skate Park

1st Place
OJAI SKATE PARK, E. Ojai Ave., next to Chaparrral High School, Ojai, 646-5581 or 766-1366

2nd Place
OXNARD SKATEPARK, 3250 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard, 982-7121

3rd Place
CAMARILLO SKATEPARK, 1030 Temple Ave., Camarillo, 482-1996

Surf School

1st Place
MARY OSBORNE SURF CAMPS, 973-7263, www.maryosbornesurf.com

2nd Place
VENTURA MAKOS SURF CAMP, 312-0713, www.venturamakossurfcamp.com

3rd Place
SILVER STRAND SURF SCHOOL, 426-0765, www.silverstrandsurfschool.com

Surf Spot

1st Place
C-STREET/SURFERS POINT

2nd Place
RINCON

3rd Place
MONDOS

Tennis Court

1st Place
PIERPONT RACQUET CLUB, 500 Sanjon Road, Ventura, 648-5161

2nd Place
CAMINO REAL PARK, Dean Drive and Varsity Drive, Ventura, 652-4550

3rd Place
LIBBEY PARK, South Signal Street, Ojai, 646-5581

View

1st Place
CROSS AT GRANT PARK

2nd Place
VENTURA PIER

3rd Place
VENTURA BOTANICAL GARDENS INC., www.venturabotanicalgardens.com, 232-3113,

Yacht Club

1st Place
VENTURA YACHT CLUB, 1755 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, 642-0426

2nd Place
CHANNEL ISLANDS YACHT CLUB, 4100 Harbor Blvd., Channel Islands Harbor, 985-2492

3rd Place
PACIFIC CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB, 2600 Harbor Blvd., Oxnard, 985-7292