CubingUSA Nationals 2017 - Fort Wayne, Indiana (July 7-9)

[Joel2274]

So there is a qualifying time for each event...well I've only been to one other comp with 4 events in it and I believe I made the qualifying time in those. But if I go to worlds, I would like to compete in more than 4 events but there aren't any of those "mini" comps in my area to give me a chance to get a qualifying time...will there be another way for people like me to qualify for additional events? Such as at the comp, since I already qualify in 3x3 and know I will be able to compete in that at nats, will there be a way to "try out" for the rest of the events? I just think that since I already qualify in some events that I should be able to try out for other since I qualify for those too, just not officially.

 

[aybuck37]

So there is a qualifying time for each event...well I've only been to one other comp with 4 events in it and I believe I made the qualifying time in those. But if I go to worlds, I would like to compete in more than 4 events but there aren't any of those "mini" comps in my area to give me a chance to get a qualifying time...will there be another way for people like me to qualify for additional events? Such as at the comp, since I already qualify in 3x3 and know I will be able to compete in that at nats, will there be a way to "try out" for the rest of the events? I just think that since I already qualify in some events that I should be able to try out for other since I qualify for those too, just not officially.

From the other comments in the thread I don't think there is another way. I'm pretty sure you have to get an official time.

 

[bobthegiraffemonkey]

Everything's Bigger in Texas, Austin, TX, Sat Nov 19
(no 5BLD)

I came by out of curiousity for the qualifying times, but that's too hilarious to not mention. Everything's bigger in Texas, but not BLD apparently.

 

[AlexMaass]

I would like to compete in more than 4 events but there aren't any of those "mini" comps in my area to give me a chance to get a qualifying time...will there be another way for people like me to qualify for additional events? Such as at the comp, since I already qualify in 3x3 and know I will be able to compete in that at nats, will there be a way to "try out" for the rest of the events? I just think that since I already qualify in some events that I should be able to try out for other since I qualify for those too, just not officially.

This is exactly why I disagree with this qualification system. It is simply not fair for people in areas which don't have comps with these events there. Cutoffs are fair since with this, it doesn't matter if you are lucky enough to have competitions in your region with the events you want to qualify in. I would definitely support a measure to be able to hold a huge scale competition such as nationals if it was actually fair on all competitors like cutoffs are. I am disappointed that we had to resort to something that literally goes against the mission of the WCA.

"The goal of the World Cube Association is to have more competitions in more countries with more people and more fun, under fair and equal conditions."

 

[WACWCA]

This is exactly why I disagree with this qualification system. It is simply not fair for people in areas which don't have comps with these events there. Cutoffs are fair since with this, it doesn't matter if you are lucky enough to have competitions in your region with the events you want to qualify in. I would definitely support a measure to be able to hold a huge scale competition such as nationals if it was actually fair on all competitors like cutoffs are. I am disappointed that we had to resort to something that literally goes against the mission of the WCA.

"The goal of the World Cube Association is to have more competitions in more countries with more people and more fun, under fair and equal conditions."

I think there should be some way to qualify for events by doing others, like if you are sub X for 3bld you can do 4bld and mbld, mainly for big blds where it is hard to even find a comp, and then have a good chance of a dnf.

 

[AlexMaass]

I think there should be some way to qualify for events by doing others, like if you are sub X for 3bld you can do 4bld and mbld, mainly for big blds where it is hard to even find a comp, and then have a good chance of a dnf.

that's a great idea, it makes this unfair system a bit more fair so thats good i guess
also include the option of a single too for all the events, sometimes some comps could have super harsh soft cutoffs

 

[mDiPalma]

I am disappointed that we had to resort to something that literally goes against the mission of the WCA.

welcome to the WCA post 2014.

hopefully they'll bring in significantly less revenue and drop this from the next US Nats

 

[WACWCA]

welcome to the WCA post 2014.

hopefully they'll bring in significantly less revenue and drop this from the next US Nats

They don't do this for the revenue, and the registration cap will fill up no matter what. And to keep nats alive, I think it is neccasary.

 

[efattah]

I'm not sure I like the idea of qualifying times, but if you *had* to do it, why not make it much more simpler and fair, and just give each entrant a single solve of the cube in question with a generous cut off time. For example for 3x3 you get one solve and it needs to be sub-30 (for example). This isn't really part of the 3x3 competition but landing the sub-30 qualifies you to actually enter the 3x3 competition. During the qualification technically they could line up 5 cubes of different types (2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, sq1 etc.) and you get once chance at each (right after each other), with generous cut offs. This quickly qualifies you or disqualifies you from the various events. Turn slowly and be careful not to screw up, and if you are good enough to enter the competition it would be obvious.

 

[One Wheel]

welcome to the WCA post 2014.

hopefully they'll bring in significantly less revenue and drop this from the next US Nats

Not likely. It's a simple problem of supply and demand. There are more people who want to compete than there are available slots. Something had to be done to reduce the demand or increase supply of slots. It was evidently determined to be prohibitively costly to increase supply, so you have to reduce demand by increasing the cost. That could have been done by increasing registration fees, but I believe a wise choice was made to discriminate on the basis of talent and dedication rather than on socioeconomic status.

 

[Jaysammey777]

I'm not sure I like the idea of qualifying times, but if you *had* to do it, why not make it much more simpler and fair, and just give each entrant a single solve of the cube in question with a generous cut off time. For example for 3x3 you get one solve and it needs to be sub-30 (for example). This isn't really part of the 3x3 competition but landing the sub-30 qualifies you to actually enter the 3x3 competition. During the qualification technically they could line up 5 cubes of different types (2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, sq1 etc.) and you get once chance at each (right after each other), with generous cut offs. This quickly qualifies you or disqualifies you from the various events. Turn slowly and be careful not to screw up, and if you are good enough to enter the competition it would be obvious.

That sounds like a logistical nightmare if I've ever heard one. You won't know whose competing in what toll you are in the middle of the competition. This affects printing, the schedule, and overall seems unfair to many people.

 

[One Wheel]

I'm not sure I like the idea of qualifying times, but if you *had* to do it, why not make it much more simpler and fair, and just give each entrant a single solve of the cube in question with a generous cut off time. For example for 3x3 you get one solve and it needs to be sub-30 (for example). This isn't really part of the 3x3 competition but landing the sub-30 qualifies you to actually enter the 3x3 competition. During the qualification technically they could line up 5 cubes of different types (2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, sq1 etc.) and you get once chance at each (right after each other), with generous cut offs. This quickly qualifies you or disqualifies you from the various events. Turn slowly and be careful not to screw up, and if you are good enough to enter the competition it would be obvious.

When and where would this single solve take place? At the venue, immediately prior to the competition? that would seem to make the most sense, but for most people the cost of travel to the venue is the biggest obstacle.

 

[AlexMaass]

That could have been done by increasing registration fees, but I believe a wise choice was made to discriminate on the basis of talent and dedication rather than on socioeconomic status.

you forgot the mention they are also discriminating on whether you have competitions in your region with the events you want to qualify in

They don't do this for the revenue, and the registration cap will fill up no matter what. And to keep nats alive, I think it is neccasary.

I think this will definitely influence registration fees if people are competing in less events, we could see even higher registration fees.

 

[One Wheel]

you forgot the mention they are also discriminating on whether you have competitions in your region with the events you want to qualify in.

Yes, but the idea is that nationals is not just another competition; you should go to another competition before nationals, and if you have to travel to get to another competition first, so be it.

 

[AlexMaass]

Yes, but the idea is that nationals is not just another competition; you should go to another competition before nationals, and if you have to travel to get to another competition first, so be it.

Yeah, but even in areas with lots of comps like the northeast, comps for events like MBLD or 5BLD or clock can be quite scarce, if you're saying if they live in a region like colorado with few comps, they have to fly to somewhere else to prove themselves worthy to compete in that event? this is pretty much kind of contradicting yourself, as this is kinda discriminating on socioeconomic status, someone who lives in a region with few comps or wants to compete in an event that isn't offered at comps in their region would have to travel the far distance to an additional comp to even get the chance to compete in nationals, at this point it would be worth it to just not go to nats and compete in a comp without qualifiers if you are interested in doing wca events you haven't had the chance to compete in

 

[biscuit]

Yeah, but even in areas with lots of comps like the northeast, comps for events like MBLD or 5BLD or clock can be quite scarce, if you're saying if they live in a region like colorado with few comps, they have to fly to somewhere else to prove themselves worthy to compete in that event? this is pretty much kind of contradicting yourself, as this is kinda discriminating on socioeconomic status, someone who lives in a region with few comps or wants to compete in an event that isn't offered at comps in their region would have to travel the far distance to an additional comp to even get the chance to compete in nationals, at this point it would be worth it to just not go to nats and compete in a comp without qualifiers if you are interested in doing wca events you haven't had the chance to compete in

No one is saying it's perfect, but it is better than the alternative. For some people, yes, they will have to travel or not compete in that event (or, you know, put in the work to host your own comp) but that's way better than the alternative.

 

[Kit Clement]

I think there should be some way to qualify for events by doing others, like if you are sub X for 3bld you can do 4bld and mbld, mainly for big blds where it is hard to even find a comp, and then have a good chance of a dnf.

This style of qualification is something we wanted to do, but we were informed by the WRC that this is not allowable by the current regulations.

 

[biscuit]

This style of qualification is something we wanted to do, but we were informed by the WRC that this is not allowable by the current regulations.

8a8? That seems to say pretty explicitly that the board can approve restrictions to registration.

 

[mark49152]

8a8? That seems to say pretty explicitly that the board can approve restrictions to registration.

Z4 is the optional regulation that allows numbers to be limited by qualification, but there's nothing there that says explicitly that the qualification criteria for an event must be based on prior results in the same event.

 

[One Wheel]

I think there should be some way to qualify for events by doing others, like if you are sub X for 3bld you can do 4bld and mbld, mainly for big blds where it is hard to even find a comp, and then have a good chance of a dnf.

The problem I see with that is specialization: it's likely that somebody who is really good at 3BLD would also be good at 4BLD, but not necessarily. somebody who is really good at 4BLD but doesn't practice 3BLD could be bumped by somebody who does exclusively 3BLD but thinks it would be fun to try 4BLD. everybody knows Feliks is a fantastic cuber, does that mean he should get an automatic qualification for skewb?