I know this thread is a month old, but it still is a relevant topic... so:
Actually I wanted to bring myself into an argumentation with some people about why I take this as a world record by quoting you guys and replying to what was said but I got really tired of reading what was written about inspections times (think what a blindsolve really is about, compared to what a sheer speedsolve is) or that this is not a world record because it's the CCA... yadda yadda yadda.
You guys should just keep a few things in mind and that one (your mind) always open. Ok, I know that a lot of people in this forum might have a problem to be open minded because they just don't like new ideas or maybe are to gridlocked or to young to think outside the box or... whatever reason, it is the same result.
But why do I bother posting in this thread you may ask... it is because I got annoyed of some peoples ignorance and intolerance and so I wanted to add my two cents. Well, actually the only purpose of this reply is to make you think about things as they are. So some things may sound a little harsh and not represent my own opinion in detail and you don't have to discuss things, just think about stuff would be enough for a start (I talk to you, the illiberal people).
Oh, and one thing in advance: I am damn sure no one would prohibid you guys from taking part at a competition held by the CCA and if you set some records over there - as far as I heard there will be a great many of them (events, not records)... so plenty to get involved.
Ok, lets begin:
1: Usually a world federation is estbalished by "local" federations of different countries - with the WCA it was not like that - as far as I know, some people just founded it and from that moment on became the rulers. So other people could just make up another federation called "Twisty Puzzle Federation of the Earth" or whetever they like. There I no global judge who decides which is the one and only "legal" one.
What do I want to say with that? It was good that in the past the WCA made up rules that single solves are comparable. But nowadays, the community should be big enough, that every "cubing country" could have its own cubing federation which then could have chosen "delegates" (like any other officially accepted [I talk about by the state - not the WCA... there are rules for that in probably most developed country] association must have) and those people should form a NEW "WCA" with regulations that the delegates agreed to. We all are civilized and this should be possible. The way it is right now, malicious tongues could say, it is just a bunch of kids, following rules made by just some random people.
2: It don't see why it should be wrong to have an association in each country, that has enough people to hold competitions that are not just meetings of like 5 people cubing. They really should have all their own. And that is what the CCA is... not more, not less.
But at the moment it is more like Two countries: China, and the rest of the World. They both have their Associations that - at the moment - don't like each other (just keep in mind that it takes two to tango...).
3: This forum is an international one. As far as I know, nowhere is stated that only followers of the WCA are allowed or people who shares the opinion of the WCA... And that is good.
Why? Just think what this forum ultimately is about... It is people from all over the world who enjoy Cubing. So having some people just keep saying 'Official Rubik's Cube World Records are only official when the WCA was there. Period.' is just really really ignorant. It is not like that. There is more than one Association and they temporary seem to be in disfavour for each other.
4: This talk about 'You don't call a winner of whatever a world champion'... do you really want to compare apples with pears? Get things straight. In a car race it is a team competing with others and it does not matter how long they need to finish a round or the whole race - it is just about who was first in the end of the race. Same with Basketball, Football,... calling national winners World Champions and... ah... I am not getting into that... Difference is, they compete against each other - while in cubing everyone does the same - they solve a cube, concluding in differing times for every competitors, compared by absolute time. And those times you can compare to each other.
By the way, beeing a World Champion is not the same as beeing a (world) Record Holder - it is just "a" winner.
5: If someone does something in front of many people, having cameras around everywhere and even people that take care that no one cheats,... you can call that official.
I am not 100% sure about that, but actually you could not even call the WCA records "official" if you take anything literally since the WCA is not accredited by any government. Right? So stop being so meticulous about the word "official" because someone is competing in another assosiations competition then you are.
From our point of view, this solve was as official as a home made attempt.
Please stop to say things like "our point of view"... you are definitely not talking for me and my opinion. If you talk for a specific group or an association - name it, but don't say 'we think' or "From our point of view" on behalf of the whole forum as if you were granted by anyone.
Again: At the moment there is more than one Association and they temporary seem to be in disfavour for each other. So there are records accepted by this one and records accepted by the other one. Maybe one even secretly accepts the records of the other one - who knows. But overall, on the face of it and at the bottom line, there are registered, observed, comprehensible and timed single solves. One of them was obviously faster than any other official one (see adjectives of the last sentence) out there was before. So the only statement that makes sense as a conclusion is: There is a blindfold rubiks cube solve world record - currently held by Mr. Zhuang.
If you don't opine and think the time is not a world record, you should think about saying something like "For me this is not a world record because it is not achieved at a competition monitored by the WCA." instead of 'No way this is official'.
I for myself just accept any superior performance - no matter where, under whose monitoring it was done and no matter who did it.
So come on guys, broaden your horizon - don't be that narrow minded.