Rowe Hessler 52.27 BLD former WR disqualified

[MaeLSTRoM]

This from the WCA Forum: (Source)

Postby Tyson » Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:14 pm
This message is to serve notice of the disqualification of the 3x3x3 BLD world record set on November 22, 2008 at the Westchester Fall 2008 competition. The solve, at the time recorded at 52.27 seconds by Rowe Hessler (2007HESS01) was reported to have been a duplicate scramble. After a DNF solve on the first attempt, the judge failed to record the DNF attempt on the score card, and thus the cube was scrambled for a second time with the first scramble in the series. The competitor had an unfair advantage of solving the same cube after having previously memorized it, which invalidates the world record.

The WCA board appreciates Mr. Hessler for stepping forward and notifying the board of this error. Despite the time that has passed, the WCA takes pride in the integrity of its records. The WCA reprimands Mr. Hessler for taking advantage of a judge's mistake, which the WCA considers as unsportsmanlike conduct. However, the WCA recognizes that no premeditated acts of malicious nature were performed, and the lapse in judgement occurred after the incident.

The BLD solve will be disqualified, and no additional attempt will be issued. This concludes the action of the WCA.

The WCA would like to take this moment to ask all members of our community to uphold the standards and spirit of the WCA. As an unfunded non-profit organization, the WCA does its best to ensure that global competition is conducted in a fun and fair manner. However, we continue to ask our community members to uphold WCA standards, and report any irregularity in procedure that may affect the integrity of the records.

 

[Kirjava]

4 years

jeez rowe

 

[Owen]

Is this a guilty secret Rowe has been keeping all this time, or has there been some sort of revelation?

 

[A Leman]

I am glad Rowe was so honest even if it is 4 years later. I still think Rowe is an amazing cuber who made the right choice and deserves my respect.

 

[googlebleh]

Despite the time that has passed, the WCA takes pride in the integrity of its records.

lol "Despite the time that has passed"

nice, Rowe.

 

[bluecloe45]

Gotta love it

 

[InfiniCuber]

I am in pure shock. But i appreciate that Rowe in essence "turned himself in". That takes guts, after soooo long.

 

[qqwref]

...what? Seriously?

 

[InfiniCuber]

...what? Seriously?

My exact reaction.

 

[fastcubesolver]

wwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[ajayd]

Who cares? The WR now is 26.xx. It's great that he confessed, but this is just a lucky occurrence and probably won't happen again. It's not like someone repealed 5.66...

 

[InfiniCuber]

Who cares? The WR now is 26.xx. It's great that he confessed, but this is just a lucky occurrence and probably won't happen again. It's not like someone repealed 5.66...

Who cares? Um... if you haven't noticed, some of us DO. If you don't that's fine by me. It is still something that in some way affects the cubing community (some).

 

[maggot]

what would a punishment look like for an action like this? hopefully not a long term vacation? such action was the mistake on the judges part and he confessed.

does "no additional attempt" conclude that there is nothing restricting rowe from going to competitions? that would be nice.

 

[InfiniCuber]

what would a punishment look like for an action like this? hopefully not a long term vacation? such action was the mistake on the judges part and he confessed.

You make a good point. And i don't think there would really even be a made up punishment for this.... except maybe the community looking down on him, which i definitely wouldn't do...

 

[StachuK1992]

Wait wait, is there really no punishment?
I get that it's been over four years now so that might lessen things. I get that it takes some balls to announce this sort of thing after such a long time.

That's not the point. This is no reason to hold him high on a pedestal. I don't know why so many of you are. I get it; he's popular. That's irrelevant. If someone else did something like this I feel as though they would have been punished much more.

What is the punishment?

If I steal from someone today and turn myself in four years, I get punished equally for how I get punished if I got caught today. That's the way law works. You did what you did and now you have to deal with it.

 

[JasonK]

Wait what?

So, not owning up to what you did until four years later means you face no consequences.

Makes perfect sense...

 

[Swordsman Kirby]

does "no additional attempt" conclude that there is nothing restricting rowe from going to competitions? that would be nice.

It means that he doesn't get another attempt at the second solve at Pleasantville four years ago.

 

[ducttapecuber]

It was the judges fault, however Rowe should have confessed immediately after his solve, or even during memo. He should have owned up to it earlier. But at least he came clean, even if it was four years later. What kind of punishment would you even give him? It was the judges mistake, even thought he should have told.
May I ask how long this record stood?

 

[InfiniCuber]

Wait what?

So, not owning up to what you did until four years later means you face no consequences.

Makes perfect sense...

I understand what your trying to say, and as far as i know, there is no punishment. I don't really want to praise him, but just kinda acknowledge the fact he turned himself in. I mean he DID do something wrong... I just don't think there is anyway of punishing him...

 

[Ollie]

I'd rather hear what he has to say before making a snap judgement, especially since it took balls to confess even after all these years. He's obviously matured enough to see that what he's done is wrong so he deserves at least an opportunity to explain himself.