UK Open 2009

Did you know -

- The competition went really smoothly and was awesome?
- Dan Harris deserved his Touch Cube he got?
- The school kids that came were really nice and helped a lot?
- Lots of people bought a souvenier 'Manchester United' Rubik's cube
- Everyone elses cubes are better than your own?
- The morph egg is annoying but addictive?
- Breandon solved a cube faster than I did the last layer?
- Simon Crawford's mum is good at juggling?
- But not as good as Simon?
- Martin Berger is a very sweet old man?
- Martin Smith is awesome at Rubik's 360?
- And won a gold medal with a time of 37.02?
- It was quite noisy during BLD?
- Patrick Kelly is also nice?
- And so was everyone really?
- I did beat James at 4x4?
- But James beat me on 5x5 by less than 1 second?
- Michael's beard has returned?
- Martin Smith called the cube covers 'hidey pots' which I found very funny?
- His storebought cube is indeed 'Awesome' and no one could guess it was a storebought?
- I wrote awesome too many times in this post and don't really ever say it out loud?

Awesome day everyone.

are you the guy who was with micheal and had the 3x3x5 extended????
 
It was my first competition and I really enjoyed it :D
Can't wait to next one.
I've met new people, learned a lot, and talked to Dan Harris :O (he's my idol ;) )
Amazing experience :)

Thanks to everyone!
 
Did you know -

- The competition went really smoothly and was awesome?
- Dan Harris deserved his Touch Cube he got?
- The school kids that came were really nice and helped a lot?
- Lots of people bought a souvenier 'Manchester United' Rubik's cube
- Everyone elses cubes are better than your own?
- The morph egg is annoying but addictive?
- Breandon solved a cube faster than I did the last layer?
- Simon Crawford's mum is good at juggling?
- But not as good as Simon?
- Martin Berger is a very sweet old man?
- Martin Smith is awesome at Rubik's 360?
- And won a gold medal with a time of 37.02?
- It was quite noisy during BLD?
- Patrick Kelly is also nice?
- And so was everyone really?
- I did beat James at 4x4?
- But James beat me on 5x5 by less than 1 second?
- Michael's beard has returned?
- Martin Smith called the cube covers 'hidey pots' which I found very funny?
- His storebought cube is indeed 'Awesome' and no one could guess it was a storebought?
- I wrote awesome too many times in this post and don't really ever say it out loud?

Awesome day everyone.

are you the guy who was with micheal and had the 3x3x5 extended????

nope, I was the guy trying to solve the morph egg with you and Martin (if you are Connor). We were also solving James' green 3x3x3 with a bandaged 2x2x2 block.

Edit - read your sig, you're not Connor.
 
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Did you know -

- The competition went really smoothly and was awesome?
- Dan Harris deserved his Touch Cube he got?
- The school kids that came were really nice and helped a lot?
- Lots of people bought a souvenier 'Manchester United' Rubik's cube
- Everyone elses cubes are better than your own?
- The morph egg is annoying but addictive?
- Breandon solved a cube faster than I did the last layer?
- Simon Crawford's mum is good at juggling?
- But not as good as Simon?
- Martin Berger is a very sweet old man?
- Martin Smith is awesome at Rubik's 360?
- And won a gold medal with a time of 37.02?
- It was quite noisy during BLD?
- Patrick Kelly is also nice?
- And so was everyone really?
- I did beat James at 4x4?
- But James beat me on 5x5 by less than 1 second?
- Michael's beard has returned?
- Martin Smith called the cube covers 'hidey pots' which I found very funny?
- His storebought cube is indeed 'Awesome' and no one could guess it was a storebought?
- I wrote awesome too many times in this post and don't really ever say it out loud?

Awesome day everyone.

are you the guy who was with micheal and had the 3x3x5 extended????

nope, I was the guy trying to solve the morph egg with you and Martin (if you are Connor). We were also solving James' green 3x3x3 with a bandaged 2x2x2 block. Also, I think you left your certificate on the table. btw, I only just realised this was you today.

nah im not connor... but i was on michael erskines table and i was trying to solve a 3x3x5 extended cube for ages =p
 
Did you know -

- The competition went really smoothly and was awesome?
- Dan Harris deserved his Touch Cube he got?
- The school kids that came were really nice and helped a lot?
- Lots of people bought a souvenier 'Manchester United' Rubik's cube
- Everyone elses cubes are better than your own?
- The morph egg is annoying but addictive?
- Breandon solved a cube faster than I did the last layer?
- Simon Crawford's mum is good at juggling?
- But not as good as Simon?
- Martin Berger is a very sweet old man?
- Martin Smith is awesome at Rubik's 360?
- And won a gold medal with a time of 37.02?
- It was quite noisy during BLD?
- Patrick Kelly is also nice?
- And so was everyone really?
- I did beat James at 4x4?
- But James beat me on 5x5 by less than 1 second?
- Michael's beard has returned?
- Martin Smith called the cube covers 'hidey pots' which I found very funny?
- His storebought cube is indeed 'Awesome' and no one could guess it was a storebought?
- I wrote awesome too many times in this post and don't really ever say it out loud?

Awesome day everyone.

are you the guy who was with micheal and had the 3x3x5 extended????

nope, I was the guy trying to solve the morph egg with you and Martin (if you are Connor). We were also solving James' green 3x3x3 with a bandaged 2x2x2 block. Also, I think you left your certificate on the table. btw, I only just realised this was you today.

nah im not connor... but i was on michael erskines table and i was trying to solve a 3x3x5 extended cube for ages =p

Ah right, sorry. I'll make it easy for you, I was the guy with a rash on my face.
 
Did you know....

- Michael Erskine is an awesome guy for both picking me up and dropping me off in Leeds?
- he also has a nice and unique puzzle collection?
- Dan Harris did an awesome job running the competition?
- the free lunch tasted great?
- the free t-shirts are nice?
- The venue at the Manchester United Stadium was very good?
- My name tag said I was from the UK, but my registration showed the US?
- the certificate I got said "Patrick Kelly of the United Kingdom"?
- English and American competitions have the same ambiance?
- Tyson Mao is probably crying in his room right now because he is no longer tied with me on 3x3 average, but is actually worse than me now?
- Simon Crawford and all other English cubers have an English accent ;)?
- There are lots of friendly English cubers?
- My 5x5 avg was horrible, but I got a new PB single?
- I barely missed getting sub-60 avg on 4x4?
- I beat Joey in 4 consecutive 3x3 races after dinner?
- Thom Barlow and I managed to do 2 team BLD 4x4 solves, both which turned out to be complete failures?
- English buses suck for the fact that they don't announce the stops, so if you don't know the area, you have no idea where to get off?
- Joey let me borrow a 4x4, and I think I beat him with it?

Great day everyone, see you in a couple weeks.
 
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did you know???

-i got a pll skip at least once on each cube
-michael erskine lent me his 4x4x4 and i got 2 sub 2 mins and my pb with it
-the food was tastey and free =o
-my mum wouldnt take me again unless she got a look at the pitch which she did
-all my 2x2 solves were sub 10 except 1
-i had to get up at 5 am to leave from newcastle
-i was the first to leave after the awards because my mum just wanted to leave asap
-my lil sister ate 2 plates of chips =o
- i got a manchester united cube and so did a few other people
-i got my 5x5x5 pb with an eastsheen (everyone else had v cube 5's)
-the timers were knocked of the tables alot of time
- it was awsome =]
 
Did you know?
- I tied my single lucky 11.06 with a non-lucky 11.06?
- My goal was sub-11 single? I didn't make it :(
- My goal was sub-14 avg?
- I made it? (barely)
- Agassi Yu had a reaally nice 4x4...
- But it was white so I sucked on it! (I didn't use it officially)
- I'm starting to be more relaxed in competiton?
- I'm thinking of changing competition cubes again?
- Everyone is awesome?
- Rowan: Hi
- I had a really nice burger after the restaurant?
- After a LOT of persuasion, some of us went to a cocktail bar?
- That night turned VERY crazy?
- I went to bed at 6am on sunday?
- And met charlie, lars and arnaud at around 12?
- So much happened that night.. that I can't recount it all?
- Some stuff probably shouldn't be recounted ;)
- I can't think of anything else right now!
 
Did you know -

-The day was awesome?
-Nearly as awesome as Breandan?
-Dan is a really nice guy?
-Pete destroyed me at 4x4?
-Michael came first in the beard category?
-Me and Adam tied for second?
-I beat Pete in 5x5 by 0.18 secs?
-Pete beat me in 3x3 first round by 0.16secs?
-Drinking the night before a competition gets rid of any shaky hands?
Learnt that standing whilst solving is good?
-Martin Berger asked Brett if he was Charlotte Cooper?
-Joey got a kiss from Lars and I never?
-Adam got 13secs non lucky?
-Pete's 360 is much better than mine?
-Simon can keep balls in the air for a long time?
-But not as well as my 360?
-Gigaminx - (drool)
-You guys even won my dad over - who was secretly impressed.
- I can't wait for Bristol.
 
Did you know?

-It was my second Uk Champs?
-I thought it was brilliant?
-I suck at the 360?!!
-Clearly the "terrafranca washing machine 360 technique" needs some work on my behalf?
-The megabus from Ldn to Manc was the worst experience ever?
-Dan called me up on not judging etc, so I got involved
-I spoke to far more people than last year
-Everyone is Mega friendly
-Also learnt that solving whilst standing is good
-I left my comp cube on the table, so if anyone found a completely unidentifiable Puzl.com cube (easily popped)...it's mine
-Conor Neall left his certificate on the table also.....
-My hands were freezing most of the day
-This is my first post
-So many people were so into helping improve my rubbish 3x3 method - thanks!
-I'm not going to leave the comp before 4.00 next year
-I at least won the ends of a tube of Pringles...!
-Thinking about heading to Bristol......
-Thanks!
 
Did you know?

(Rowan related)
- That coming 3rd in the 3x3 final behind Chris and Breandan was a complete shock, and better than Christmas?
- That my current 3x3 official PB average is the same as Simon's was after UK Masters?
- my first OH solve would've been sub 20, had I not decided that instead of continuing after locking up the last 2 moves of a U perm I should do a B' instead?
- Which would've then given me a sub 27 average (and more importantly a sub Simon average? :p)?
- Ben's winning 2x2 average where solve #1 was an LL skip and the following 3 were PLL skips has a chance of 1 in 21781872?
- I don't hate him for it?
- That because he won and not me, tonight I have finished EG1, and I shall finish SS before the end of the week?
- That I shall get a sub 3.5 average in 2 weeks time?
- That a 3rd 2x2 round would be nice, Charlie?
- That my 2x2 average is still okay (I guess)?
- That I got a 55.xx 4x4 with PLL parity, and bad centers?

(competition related)
- That everybody at the competition was great?
- That the one kid judge that decided when you were going to look at the cube, and counted down to it, was simultaneously annoying and funny?
- That Joey lucks out in 3x3 singles all the time, no matter what he says? :p
- That Agassi Yiu is one of my favourite people of all time?
- Thanks Dan!(?)
- That I didn't use my camera to record or take a picture of a single thing?
- That Breandan is win?
- Congrats Simon for his inspiring performance in OH, showing just what sheer practice and determination can do (;))(?)
- That Chris Ness is also win?
- That the organisation was great, people seemed much more eager to scramble and judge than last year?
- That Cameron Barnett and me judging/scrambling managed to get his last 3 sup minute 2x2 solves done in a flash, despite the 5x5 round looming?
- Well done Cameron, though I doubt you'll ever read this?
- That I love pretty much all cubers?
- That Chieh Lee deserved a better average in the 3x3 final?
- That 'one at a time' is tough, but I can't complain?
- That I am happy and tired :)?

(post-competition related)
- That going for cocktails/Strongbow/Corona/running around student accommodation with Arnaud, Charlie, Joey and Thom is possibly the best thing EVER?
- That insults shall never be the same?
- That that cupboard under the stairs had definitely never seen that many people?
- That given the space I occupied in that cupboard, I don't think we have to worry about space for me @ Charlie's for Bristol?
- That Sarah and Beth were not prepared for Arn-uendo?
- That I love Arnaud?
- That I will never see certain people the same way again?
- That 31 is Sarah's favourite age?
- That Joey has a nice neck?
- That stackmatting a team BLD 4x4 while drunk with Jude was an incredibly impressive feat?
- That me and Jude did SQ-1 teamsolve in 4:17 despite me not knowing how to solve a SQ-1?
- That we also managed to sub 10 a 5x5 teamsolve?
- That that evening was brilliant xD
- That Kirjava is immeasurably awesome?

More to come... maybe :D
 
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ah, results are up. But for some reason the records haven't gone through to the rankings yet. so well done joey for still keeping your 2x2 NR's though all this :P
 
We actually wrote this in the car... we just got back, but I shall not be commenting on it until tomorrow because we need to sleep now, not gossip.

Did you know?
Charlie, Lars and Arnaud are in the car still on the way back to Bristol?
All three of us have an early start tomorrow and didn't exactly sleep last night?
After a LOT of *harassment* we went to a cocktail bar to hang out with cubers without cubes?
It was amazingly awesomely cheap but also was necessary to buy three drinks at once?
After the bar we went to Sarah's flat?
Still not sure who Sarah is?
There was a big cupboard in her flat?
We had to fit as many people as possible into it?
What happened in the cupboard stays in the cupboard?
Three way neck love anyone?(Awesome btw)
Rowan is actually a midget, he just stretches out sometimes to make everyone think he can't squish into small corners of cupboards?
We feel we have done a good assessment of manchester student accommodation and joey's is the worst?
Charlie is 90% chest?
Seriously, the cupboard was mental, it will forever be a bit of a blank in our minds :p?
Last night was mental and we only slept at like 7? We then had breakfast at 10?
Chrisi and dave are awesome for giving Charlie stuff for Bristol and of course for their help with the comp?
Dan and lisa are both lovely and deserve a big thank you!
The cupboard at the hotel was also good, but not as good as the flat cupboard?
Did you know Joey, Thom, Charlie, Arnie and Lars all somehow fit into Joey's bed (single) to watch family guy this evening?
We are glad but also sad there is no photo of the flat cupboard?
Charlie won a touch cube and didn want the wii because she is a console whore?
Jude sent Charlie a text and within 16 seconds she had read, replied and sent a message back?
When leaving Sarah's there was a bit of an Evita moment from Rowan over the edge of the stairs?
We stayed at subway all day today and had to basically be forced away so we went and festered in mcdonalds instead?
There were some very odd reactions to cubing today?
A girl just shouted 'weirdo' at avg and then walked off?
We gained three young 'scally' friends from manchester who gave us the following descrpitions:
Avg - 21arnaud van 'gaylord' - witty, joey - 25 noodle head, charlie - 35 (WTF?) Nerd, lars - grandpa nerd with 3D glasses (WTF?)?
Charlie has extremely 'vocal' neighbours that made a lot of noise on Friday night? Hoping that won't happen again tonight?
There may havee been someone else in charlie's flat but avg will never know because he didn't check upstairs?
We cubers love to chat! While loading page 26 of the thread, a 28th was created?
Thom is the only person charlie can teamsolve with?
They had an amazing vacuum cleaner ice cream machine at the hotel?
Arnaud races lifts by running down the stairs?
Joey's flat smells weird?
We are writing this on charlie's phone, and it has taken us an hour so far, we have travelled 80km in that time?
We feel sick from chocolate clusters?
Nobody in Europe cares about Peter Andre - especially Arnaud?
We love patrick! He even has modelled in a swine flu poster?
Simon's dad is really nice for asking if charlie minded if simon stayed with her for Bristol?
Beth is so excitable, it's brilliant?
There was a bit of an 'ice cube down the top' fight last night?
It is very difficult not to slip into the first person while writing this?
Omg the north?
Charlie got stuck in the sculpture at the hotel?
Lars has an amazing video of the rakketten puzzle in action with a hand dryer?
Michael is awesome for giving charlie heart stickers?
For Rowan "he's just so constipated and facially retented"?
Being able to solve a cube bld means you aren't too drunk to drive?
Sometimes the test needs to be extended to a multi to be really sure?
The knife is sharp, thank god Beth's cousin labelled it?
Lars has long blonde hair on loan from lisa?
This is such a long list but it's three people's worth?
Charlie found out some interesting things last night that cannot be repeated on the forum?
Joey has a tin of snack bars?
We went to a really crap party at 6am where they had a fish tank made out of a plastic box?
The car didn't get towed despite our concerns at man u. We needed a voucher but as it didn't specify what kind, avg acquired a perfectly adequate coffee voucher?
Althoiugh it was nice that all the kkids were judging they made a few errors with bld by not allowing us to remove the covers ourselves and calling the 8, 12 and start solving points in the inspection time?
We have to stop writing this now because we are almost at Charlie's?
We actually have loads more did you know things?
We wanted to get our speedsolving fix out of the way so that we wouldn't fall into the 'switch the computer on just for a little while that turns into 3 hours' trap when we got home?
The cupboard?

We love you all! More later :) thanks to everyone that made it possible. See lots of you in bristol xx
 
(post-competition related)
- That going for cocktails/Strongbow/Corona/running around student accommodation with Arnaud, Charlie, Joey and Thom is possibly the best thing EVER?
Absolutely, 100% agree with this comment, it was like a treasure hunt with no shortage of treasure. Bizarre way to describe things, but accurate I feel.
- That insults shall never be the same?
Facially retented?
- That that cupboard under the stairs had definitely never seen that many people?
Possibly, but they wouldn't have been as attractive as us. There are a few cupboard grey areas that I think need some clarity.
- That given the space I occupied in that cupboard, I don't think we have to worry about space for me @ Charlie's for Bristol?
Yes, you are actually 2ft 2 and weigh 1 stone 8
- That Sarah and Beth were not prepared for Arn-uendo?
They will never be the same again.
- That I love Arnaud?
Who doesn't?
- That I will never see certain people the same way again?
This intrigues me, it shall be discussed later. I am very much of the same opinion, especially you Mr Kinneavy.
- That Joey has a nice neck?
Rowan has a nice neck. At least I think it's Rowan.
- That that evening was brilliant xD
Very much so.
- That Kirjava is immeasurably awesome?
Indeed

More to come... maybe :D
I hope so, we aren't done yet, but Arnaud has just passed out on the sofa... so we need to postpone.

A few comments (even though I said I wasn't going to gossip yet...)
 
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Would that be the one held by yourself by any chance? :rolleyes:

You say he was 'lucky', just maybe he can see certain solves that will result in LL skips as I know I can. There's hardly a lot of moves involved in the 2x2 solution

Didn't everyone have the same scrambles too, sounds a little like sour grapes to me. Show a little humility and generosity

Well done Ben1996123 :D

Hi Santiago, I have to disagree;
If Ben had predicted all/any of his skips (LL or PLL) then I have no doubt he would've told us about it here.

I would guess that Ben simply did a less efficient FL than either me or Jude (who also knows CLL) and got lucky. I don't want to take away from an achievement (4.06 avg is no joke), but the full story should be known.

Perhaps Joey can't be a sour grape since he doesn't practice 2x2 a great deal (though he's nevertheless pretty fast and 3.03 is a good time), I think I'm qualified to be since I have put in the time and effort to learn CLL and EG1 (around 80 algorithms) and have achieved sub 3 averages of 12 more times than I can recall, whereas Ben is simply slower than me.

Again, results are results are results, and well done to Ben.

Nevertheless, it will not be standing by the end of Bristol Open.
 
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