SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2007
Since I am graduating in May, this was my last time as host of a Rutgers Cube Competition, so I wanted to make it the best one I'd ever held. Therefore, I started planning very early and arranged for some new things like trophies and programs, but also the typical things that I like to have, like free admission and free pizza and soda for lunch.
When I arrived at the venue, there were already plenty of cubers in the lounge practicing. I was surprised to see how many people arrived so early, including several distant travelers from the Carolinas. I began to setup the stage with SIX timers and displays (we are getting bigger!). &nbps;I also tested the wireless microphone while my girlfriend Jaclyn took care of the registration.
In total, about forty competitors registered, making this the biggest Rutgers competition ever. Also, unlike the fall, we were able to start just about on time, so we kept closely to the schedule (except for the elimination of 4x4x4, since the one-handed first round took much longer than expected).
At the end of the first round, Anthony Hsu was in the lead with an average of 15.43 and a best of 11.19 seconds. The top twenty competitors advanced to the second round, making the cutoff around 30 seconds.
Next, we held the 5x5x5 first round. The 5x5x5 was a combined final, so all competitors were given at least two attempts (with a ten minute maximum per attempt), and the top six were given a full average of five solves. After two solves, Anthony was in the lead with 2:27 and Doug Li just behind at 2:31. The cutoff for the final round was about 3:04, with the next fastest competitor about 40 seconds behind.
After the 5x5x5 first round, we broke for a twenty minute lunch. I ordered fifteen pizzas and ten bottles of soda, but was so busy that I did not even get any. I think that cubers probably do not get fed often because the pizza and soda was all gone in no time!
We resumed the competition after lunch with the second round of the 3x3x3 speedsolve. Again, Anthony was in the lead with an average of 14.60 and a best of 12.84 seconds. This time, his average was faster than everybody else's best solve! Mitchell Stern was in second with an average of 16.99 seconds. The top eight competitors would advance to the final, making the cutoff 20.99 seconds, with poor Peter missing by only fifteen hundredths.
I competed in the Magic and Master Magic with decent times, but I hadn't practiced in over a year, so I was not expecting anything great. Tim Reynolds won with a 1.27 (National Record) average on Magic and a 3.51 average on Master Magic. I came in second and Peter Greenwood came in third for both events. I was proud of my girlfriend who came in fourth in Magic, just barely missing a certificate!
The first round of 3x3x3 one-handed took quite long. The top six (who would advance to the final round) all had averages under one-minute, though. Anthony Hsu was in the lead at the end of the first round with a best of 27.99 and an average of 33.60 seconds. Mitchell and Steve Rybecky followed in second and third.
In the 5x5x5 final round, Doug Li won by about thirty seconds, averaging only 2:34.44. Anthonh Hsu had two ugly pops, knocking him out of the top three. Jonathan Choi (who has an orange 3x3x3 speedcube!) and Daniel Beyer came in second and third with averages of 3:03 and 3:07, respectively.
There were several blindfold events throughout the day, in which Daniel Beyer unfortunately DNF'ed on 4x4x4 Blindfolded, 5x5x5 Blindfolded, and 8 cubes blindfolded. However, there were some good times for the 3x3x3 blindfolded round. Anthony Hsu won with a best time of 2:30.28. Rowe Hessler was second with 2:38.93 and Tim Reynolds third with 4:12.00. Mitchell also got a successful solve at 4:46.40 and Ian Winokur achieved his first successful blindsolve in competition (actually getting two solves!).
To no surprise, Anthony Hsu won the 3x3x3 one-handed final with an average of 33.23 seconds. Tim Reynolds beat out Mitchell Stern for second place by only eighteen hundredths of a second!
Before the 3x3x3 final round, there was a special event! Peter Greenwood, Doug Li, and Daniel Beyer all competed in this event in which they attempted to solve a cube with no inspection. To their surprise, there were several parities on the cube, so it had to be disassembled to be solved again. Peter won the event, Doug came in second, and Daniel popped and gave up.
The 3x3x3 finals were very exciting with some very fast times. Ian Winokur placed third, despite being retired, with an average of 16.53 seconds. Anthony Hsu came in second with an average of 15.13 seconds, and Mitchell Stern won the competition with an average of 14.34 seconds.
I would like to thank everybody who made this competition a great one, including Jeremy Dixon for trophies, Cubesmith for stickers, my Mom for working the computer, and everybody who judged, scrambled, and competed. I would like to especially thank those who judged without even competing--Jess, Kathy, and my father. I enjoyed hosting my final Rubik's Cube competition at Rutgers University.