World Championship 2015 - São Paulo, Brazil - July 17-19, 2015

[hcfong]

It seems that one of the more commonly heard arguments against having worlds in Brazil is that it is somehow more difficult to get to for the majority of the top 3x3 solvers. When the last worlds in Las Vegas was announced, I didn't hear many people complaining about it being difficult to get to for most top cubers. For someone outside North America, Las Vegas is just as diffiicult to get to as Sao Paolo. Both will involve booking a plane ticket, parting with a large sum of money, getting to the airport, going through security and spend a couple of hours on a plane. I don't see any difference. And the top cubers often have sponsors who will pay their expenses for them. Also, I would personally prefer to have worlds in another part of the world than where I live. I like to see new places and an event like worlds will give me an excuse to do so. I think the only ones who will really benefit from having worlds in their own country are average cubers who like to go to worlds, but not good enough to attract sponsorship to go to competitions far away.

 

[Kev43]

Yeah I don't know if there were even other candidates willing to organize worlds next.

France, at least.

 

[Stefan]

Played a bit around with it, Greenland seems to be the winner!

You mean for world? I did try it for Europe now, using the countries from the European top 100 for 3x3 average and replacing Russia with Moscow because duh.

Spoiler: Maps

That's "Center of minimum distance", though the other two methods result in something nearby. You can play around with it as well.

Spoiler: List of addresses I entered

United Kingdom
Netherlands
Germany
Germany
Poland
United Kingdom
Germany
United Kingdom
Germany
Italy
Spain
France
Norway
Ukraine
Moscow
Moscow
Germany
France
Italy
Austria
Moscow
Italy
Spain
Poland
Netherlands
Poland
France
Sweden
Hungary
Moscow
Ukraine
Poland
Germany
Germany
Hungary
Sweden
Italy
Germany
Germany
Poland
Hungary
Moscow
Ukraine
Poland
Moscow
Sweden
Greece
United Kingdom
Slovenia
Germany
Netherlands
Germany
United Kingdom
Spain
Poland
Ireland
Sweden
Moscow
Poland
Poland
France
Norway
Italy
Italy
Netherlands
Moscow
Poland
United Kingdom
Moscow
Italy
Poland
Poland
United Kingdom
Finland
Germany
United Kingdom
Germany
Ukraine
France
Poland
United Kingdom
Poland
Ukraine
Poland
Germany
Poland
Hungary
France
Germany
Norway
Poland
Romania
Netherlands
Moscow
Hungary
Spain
Italy
Ukraine
Poland
France

 

[yoinneroid]

It seems that one of the more commonly heard arguments against having worlds in Brazil is that it is somehow more difficult to get to for the majority of the top 3x3 solvers. When the last worlds in Las Vegas was announced, I didn't hear many people complaining about it being difficult to get to for most top cubers. For someone outside North America, Las Vegas is just as diffiicult to get to as Sao Paolo. Both will involve booking a plane ticket, parting with a large sum of money, getting to the airport, going through security and spend a couple of hours on a plane. I don't see any difference. And the top cubers often have sponsors who will pay their expenses for them. Also, I would personally prefer to have worlds in another part of the world than where I live. I like to see new places and an event like worlds will give me an excuse to do so. I think the only ones who will really benefit from having worlds in their own country are average cubers who like to go to worlds, but not good enough to attract sponsorship to go to competitions far away.

eh really? that will probably be a good motivation to make it to the top (too bad chances are ridiculously slim for me)

 

[Sin-H]

You mean for world?

For the Top100 of the World, it's somewhere between Spitzbergen and Norway. Except if you use average longitude/latitude values, then you end up in the Meditteranean Sea, between Italy and Greece. Might be more practical.

 

[hcfong]

eh really? that will probably be a good motivation to make it to the top (too bad chances are ridiculously slim for me)

I know Anthony Brooks has a sponsor and so has Mats. And I'm sure Feliks has a sponsor as well.

 

[Stefan]

Same thing but for world:

Spoiler: Maps

Again that's "Center of minimum distance". The "Midpoint (Center of gravity)" is somewhere in Franz Josef Land and "Average latitude/longitude" is in Sicily.

geomidpoint URL

 

[Pedro]

Here's what some quick searching on kayak.com gives me:

* all considering the trip on july 14th to 21th
** All in US Dollars and roundtrips
*** I've only put Las Vegas because it was last WC, and US has a bunch of airports

Paris - Sao Paulo: 702 
Paris - Las Vegas: 802 
Paris - Beijing: 325
Paris - Tokyo: 426

Berlin - São Paulo: 531
Berlin - Las Vegas: 1047
Berlin - Beijing: 367
Berlin - Tokyo: 454

Warsaw (Poland) - São Paulo: 651
Warsaw (Poland) - Las Vegas: 872
Warsaw (Poland) - Beijing: 310
Warsaw (Poland) - Tokyo: 344

Rome - São Paulo: 578
Rome - Las Vegas: 1039
Rome - Beijing: 312
Rome - Tokyo: 423

London - São Paulo: 586
London - Las Vegas: 825
London - Beijing: 137 (WTF?!)
London - Tokyo: 465

Sydney - São Paulo: 1786
Sydney - Las Vegas: 1605
Sydney - Beijing: 676
Sydney - Tokyo: 789

Las Vegas - São Paulo: 1528
Las Vegas - Beijing: 960
Las Vegas - Tokyo: 1457

Beijing - São Paulo: 1285
Beijing - Las Vegas: 976
Beijing - Tokyo: 533

Tokyo - São Paulo: 972
Tokyo - Las Vegas: 1958
Tokyo - Beijing: 533

and now the best part

São Paulo - Las Vegas: 1824
São Paulo - Beijing: 1500
São Paulo - Tokyo: 1858
São Paulo - Paris: 1226
São Paulo - Berlin: 1178
São Paulo - Rome: 1226
São Paulo - Warsaw: 1207
São Paulo - Sydney: 1506

 

[Sin-H]

I am usually checking google.com/flights, because most portals in the German-speaking area are ****ed up and tell you like half the price you end up paying, so:

Zurich - Sao Paulo: 1192$, but that takes you around 26hrs. The 12 hours trip is 1400$
Zurich - Beijing: 852$
Zurich - Tokyo: 967$
Zurich - Las Vegas: 1090$

and for Paris:
Paris - Sao Paulo: 1172$
Paris - Las Vegas: 1369$
Paris - Beijing: 896$
Paris - Tokyo: 1163$

This stuff can vary lots depending on which date you choose, when you book, etc.
I paid around 2400$ for my Zurich - Vegas round trip last year. I don't think there is a general tendency to see just from checking flights on a portal.

 

[kinch2002]

London - São Paulo: 586

Please tell me how you got this price I haven't found anything under $1600!

 

[Stefan]

I am usually checking google.com/flights, because most portals in the German-speaking area are ****ed up and tell you like half the price you end up paying, so:

What dates did you check there? Google doesn't let me search July 2015, only up to June 2015...

 

[Pedro]

Please tell me how you got this price I haven't found anything under $1600!

http://www.kayak.com.br/flights/LON-SAO/2015-07-14/2015-07-21

Weirdly, if you take out the .br from the url, prices change o.O

 

[cmhardw]

I have never been to São Paulo before, so I started looking at pictures of it on Google Earth. My first impressions are that it is really quite a large city! I love the beautiful churches in the midst of modern skyscrapers! There is a beautiful sunset too!

Does anyone from the area recommend any great sights to see in São Paulo or nearby?

 

[LucidCuber]

Please tell me how you got this price I haven't found anything under $1600!

On flights I've seen it's cheaper to go via Amsterdam or CDG(Paris)

www.skyscanner.net/transport/flight...rmingham-to-sao-paulo-in-july-2015.html?rtn=1

 

[kinch2002]

http://www.kayak.com.br/flights/LON-SAO/2015-07-14/2015-07-21

Weirdly, if you take out the .br from the url, prices change o.O

Thanks. Not sure I would want to waste time going backwards to Frankfurt first but it's worth considering!

The price difference might be a tax thing. I believe Brasil tend to advertise prices without tax, and the UK with tax included.

 

[AvGalen]

I think the Campeonato Sudamericano 2013 (https://www.worldcubeassociation.or...ults&competitionId=CampeonatoSudamericano2013) might have meant to be the South American championships, although apart from 1 person from Chile, all competitors were Peruvians.

Edit: ninja'd

That competition had only 41 competitors and only that 1 person from Chile. So no, that doesn't count as a South American Championship.
I looked at all the "current" Brazillian competitions and they have roughly 50-75 competitors. Is there any indication that the Brazilians can pull of a giant international tournament like Worlds?
I am looking forward to the travelling and if I can somehow help with organising I would love to hear something and help.

 

[hcfong]

That competition had only 41 competitors and only that 1 person from Chile. So no, that doesn't count as a South American Championship.
I looked at all the "current" Brazillian competitions and they have roughly 50-75 competitors. Is there any indication that the Brazilians can pull of a giant international tournament like Worlds?
I am looking forward to the travelling and if I can somehow help with organising I would love to hear something and help.

The WCA Board are listed as organisers and with the combined experience they have, I have no doubt they can pull this one off.

 

[BillyRain]

http://www.kayak.com.br/flights/LON-SAO/2015-07-14/2015-07-21

Weirdly, if you take out the .br from the url, prices change o.O

I'm confused... I go to this link but all the flights are in the $1300 range... Where's the $500 flight!? lol

 

[Pro94]

I'm confused... I go to this link but all the flights are in the $1300 range... Where's the $500 flight!? lol

Prices are in R$ (Brazilian real) not $.

 

[c4cuber]

pretty darn decision that the board has taken... too expensive ticket fares. i think the next will be in the moon in 2017...