December 2, 2008 : Interview with Speedsolving.com member Harris Chan : Currently (at the time of this interview) is ranked 5th in the world for 3x3x3 average (11.50 Seconds), 8th in the world for 3x3x3 single (9.44 Seconds), and 9th in the world for 3x3x3 One-handed average (20.65 Seconds). He has held the 3x3x3 average North American record five times.
Location:
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
Occupation:
I am a Grade 10 high school student. Next year I’ll be studying the IB (International Baccalaureate) Program.
What is your favorite event, why?
Pretty much the 3x3 speedsolve. Though not as fun as blindfolded (making stories for memo), I’m the most comfortable with 3x3. And of course, it has the coolest prizes too.
What made you become interested in solving puzzles?
) I wasn’t so much interested in puzzles as much as board games when I was really young. But back in mid-October of 2005, I was watching the TV when I saw Dave Campbell demoing the Cube and promoting speedcubing as well as WC2005 that he was about to attend. Amazed, I asked my parents to buy me one so that I could try; it was harder to find one than I thought. When I finally get the cube, I relied on the “official” solution on rubiks.com at the time, which was solve the edges first, then corners. I finally solved the cube on my own a few days later, on Halloween day. I was addicted to it ever since, but it wasn’t until after WC07 that I really expanded into the other events.
What, in your opinion, is your biggest "cubing" accomplishment?
For official results, I’d say being the first to do a non-lucky sub 10 solve (9.80 seconds at Toronto Open Falls 2007). Even though I was happy with many of my official averages, I still know that I can do better, and that is what is keeping me going.
What are your other hobbies?
Track and Field; every year since grade 5 I’d go crazy during track and field season, training, watching the videos of the professionals, etc. It’s important to keep the body fit, especially for a cuber, because cubing doesn’t train other parts of your body too much). Other hobbies include basketball, piano, and Math.
What is/are your pet peeve(s)?
That’s my word of the day! I get irrigated when people POP my cube, then when I get parities and take out cubies to rearrange it, people right away exclaim, “You’re cheating!” They just wouldn’t listen to the reasons why. Also, sometimes I get irritated new cubers just don’t seem know how to use the resources, despite how much information we have available these days.
What will the future of cubing be like and how would you like cubing to progress?
Unless a new method, or a practical extension of current methods, is created sometime in the future, I think that cubing (or at least 3x3 event) may very well turn into a dexterity contest, like sports stacking. That wouldn’t be very fun. ! There will probably be a shift from 3x3 speedsolving to developing more on BLD and bigger cubes, now that the mechanism for the big cubes have been improved. As others have said, beginners will find it harder and harder to reach the world-class speed, but that challenge will motivate new cubers even more.
Location:
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
Occupation:
I am a Grade 10 high school student. Next year I’ll be studying the IB (International Baccalaureate) Program.
What is your favorite event, why?
Pretty much the 3x3 speedsolve. Though not as fun as blindfolded (making stories for memo), I’m the most comfortable with 3x3. And of course, it has the coolest prizes too.
What made you become interested in solving puzzles?
) I wasn’t so much interested in puzzles as much as board games when I was really young. But back in mid-October of 2005, I was watching the TV when I saw Dave Campbell demoing the Cube and promoting speedcubing as well as WC2005 that he was about to attend. Amazed, I asked my parents to buy me one so that I could try; it was harder to find one than I thought. When I finally get the cube, I relied on the “official” solution on rubiks.com at the time, which was solve the edges first, then corners. I finally solved the cube on my own a few days later, on Halloween day. I was addicted to it ever since, but it wasn’t until after WC07 that I really expanded into the other events.
What, in your opinion, is your biggest "cubing" accomplishment?
For official results, I’d say being the first to do a non-lucky sub 10 solve (9.80 seconds at Toronto Open Falls 2007). Even though I was happy with many of my official averages, I still know that I can do better, and that is what is keeping me going.
What are your other hobbies?
Track and Field; every year since grade 5 I’d go crazy during track and field season, training, watching the videos of the professionals, etc. It’s important to keep the body fit, especially for a cuber, because cubing doesn’t train other parts of your body too much). Other hobbies include basketball, piano, and Math.
What is/are your pet peeve(s)?
That’s my word of the day! I get irrigated when people POP my cube, then when I get parities and take out cubies to rearrange it, people right away exclaim, “You’re cheating!” They just wouldn’t listen to the reasons why. Also, sometimes I get irritated new cubers just don’t seem know how to use the resources, despite how much information we have available these days.
What will the future of cubing be like and how would you like cubing to progress?
Unless a new method, or a practical extension of current methods, is created sometime in the future, I think that cubing (or at least 3x3 event) may very well turn into a dexterity contest, like sports stacking. That wouldn’t be very fun. ! There will probably be a shift from 3x3 speedsolving to developing more on BLD and bigger cubes, now that the mechanism for the big cubes have been improved. As others have said, beginners will find it harder and harder to reach the world-class speed, but that challenge will motivate new cubers even more.
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