Possible Western Pennsylvania WCA Competition

[JCubes]

Hey everyone, I live 1 hour north of Pittsburgh and am hoping to host a WCA competition at my school either late this year or early next year. I was wondering how many people might be able to attend and/or help organize the competition. (I've already made a rough schedule with 3x3, clock, 4x4, pyraminx, 3x3 oh, and megaminx). The competition would be held on a Saturday, and will go from 8:30 to 5-5:30.

 

[maxcuber322]

To start a competition, you first have to have a knowledge of how the staff, delegate(s), and organizers do things. Once you are pretty well acquainted with what it takes to run a competition, you can contact your local delegate. You can find delegates on the wca website (www.worldcubeassociation.org). Not to be blunt, but if you want a competition, someone probably won't do the work for you.

 

[JCubes]

I guess I worded it wrong in my first post. When I said "help organize" I meant scramblers, runners, etc (my mistake). I have also been to 3 previous competitions and am going to my 4th next month. I am not asking people to do all the competition organizing details for me, I am just wondering if some people could attend who are in the area.

 

[maxcuber322]

I would probably go to a pittsburgh area competition.

 

[UnspeakableRebel]

JCubes, as you know what competitions are like and seem to already have planned a venue (if you haven't already, confirm the event with your school), so I would say to edit your event list. My idea of an event list for a 7-event one-day comp is 3x3, 2x2, 4x4, Pyraminx, Skewb, OH, and either FMC, Megaminx, or Square-One. I wouldn't put events like Clock in small comps because that event slot can easily be filled with something more people do, leading to more people coming to your comp, which leads to higher income for the comp from registration fees. Idk if your school will make you pay money to rent it out for an event, but either way you will need to pay for catering, insurance, and equipment deposits.

I live in Chicago, not Pittsburgh, but in fact I started the Possible WCA Comp in Chicago? thread and am willing to help with the organization process. However, obviously, I can't go to your competition. All you need to do is tweak your schedule (if you want to) and find a delegate. The rest is fairly easy and I wish you best of luck for your competition.

 

[Ranzha]

JCubes, as you know what competitions are like and seem to already have planned a venue (if you haven't already, confirm the event with your school), so I would say to edit your event list. My idea of an event list for a 7-event one-day comp is 3x3, 2x2, 4x4, Pyraminx, Skewb, OH, and either FMC, Megaminx, or Square-One. I wouldn't put events like Clock in small comps because that event slot can easily be filled with something more people do, leading to more people coming to your comp, which leads to higher income for the comp from registration fees. Idk if your school will make you pay money to rent it out for an event, but either way you will need to pay for catering, insurance, and equipment deposits.

I live in Chicago, not Pittsburgh, but in fact I started the Possible WCA Comp in Chicago? thread and am willing to help with the organization process. However, obviously, I can't go to your competition. All you need to do is tweak your schedule (if you want to) and find a delegate. The rest is fairly easy and I wish you best of luck for your competition.

I disagree with your assessment of the required payments and the necessity to change the event list.

OP doesn't necessarily need to pay for catering--in fact, most every competition in NorCal lacks catering. This year, there will have been San Ramon and Hayward Rubik's Rumble that have catering, and the cost is covered through the caterer charging competitors on-site as they order. This works particularly well, since parents of kids have to pay to eat, too.

OP listed only 6 events (333, 444, 333oh, minx, pyram, clock). I have generated the following schedule:

Time   |  Event/Round     |  Competitors
-------+------------------+-------------
09:00  |  Mega Cmb Final  |  15
10:00  |  3x3 Round 1     |  75
12:00  |  Lunch           |
12:45  |  4x4 Cmb Final   |  30
14:00  |  3x3 Round 2     |  24
14:30  |  Clock Cmb Final |  15
15:00  |  Pyra Cmb First  |  35
15:45  |  OH Cmb Final    |  28
16:30  |  Pyra Final      |  8
17:00  |  3x3 Final       |  8
17:30  |  Awards          |

under these constraints:

Round  |  Time    |  Lag  |  Total Time
-------+----------+-------+------------
3x3    |  0:40.10 |  1:40 |  1:49:27
4x4    |  1:45.00 |  2:00 |  1:10:19
OH     |  0:45.00 |  1:40 |  0:42:18
Mega   |  3:16.28 |  3:00 |  0:58:48
Pyra   |  0:13.28 |  1:40 |  0:41:18
Pyra F |  0:08.00 |  1:40 |  0:09:00
Clock  |  0:45.00 |  2:00 |  0:25:47
3x3 R2 |  0:20.00 |  1:40 |  0:18:00
3x3 R3 |  0:12.00 |  1:40 |  0:11:12

Formulae and definitions:
-------------------------
Total Time = (Time + Lag) * Competitors * Solves / Stations
Time = Expected time between timer start and timer stop
Lag = Expected time between timer stop and timer start
Competitors = Number of competitors
Solves = Number of attempts per competitor in the round
Stations = Number of timing stations

Stations = 8
Solves = 6

All round timeslots are generated by taking the Total Time for the round, rounding up to the next increment of 15 minutes, and making sure each round has at least a half-hour scheduled for it.
Excluding lunch, this gives the competition 1:18:52 of built-in buffer time.

This is very doable, and OP should be able to by-and-large choose their own event list.

 

[JCubes]

I disagree with your assessment of the required payments and the necessity to change the event list.

OP doesn't necessarily need to pay for catering--in fact, most every competition in NorCal lacks catering. This year, there will have been San Ramon and Hayward Rubik's Rumble that have catering, and the cost is covered through the caterer charging competitors on-site as they order. This works particularly well, since parents of kids have to pay to eat, too.

OP listed only 6 events (333, 444, 333oh, minx, pyram, clock). I have generated the following schedule:

Time   |  Event/Round     |  Competitors
-------+------------------+-------------
09:00  |  Mega Cmb Final  |  15
10:00  |  3x3 Round 1     |  75
12:00  |  Lunch           |
12:45  |  4x4 Cmb Final   |  30
14:00  |  3x3 Round 2     |  24
14:30  |  Clock Cmb Final |  15
15:00  |  Pyra Cmb First  |  35
15:45  |  OH Cmb Final    |  28
16:30  |  Pyra Final      |  8
17:00  |  3x3 Final       |  8
17:30  |  Awards          |

under these constraints:

Round  |  Time    |  Lag  |  Total Time
-------+----------+-------+------------
3x3    |  0:40.10 |  1:40 |  1:49:27
4x4    |  1:45.00 |  2:00 |  1:10:19
OH     |  0:45.00 |  1:40 |  0:42:18
Mega   |  3:16.28 |  3:00 |  0:58:48
Pyra   |  0:13.28 |  1:40 |  0:41:18
Pyra F |  0:08.00 |  1:40 |  0:09:00
Clock  |  0:45.00 |  2:00 |  0:25:47
3x3 R2 |  0:20.00 |  1:40 |  0:18:00
3x3 R3 |  0:12.00 |  1:40 |  0:11:12

Formulae and definitions:
-------------------------
Total Time = (Time + Lag) * Competitors * Solves / Stations
Time = Expected time between timer start and timer stop
Lag = Expected time between timer stop and timer start
Competitors = Number of competitors
Solves = Number of attempts per competitor in the round
Stations = Number of timing stations

Stations = 8
Solves = 6

All round timeslots are generated by taking the Total Time for the round, rounding up to the next increment of 15 minutes, and making sure each round has at least a half-hour scheduled for it.
Excluding lunch, this gives the competition 1:18:52 of built-in buffer time.

This is very doable, and OP should be able to by-and-large choose their own event list.

Thank you for providing a schedule. I originally intended to post this thread because I wanted to see how many cubers could come, but now I think actually hosting a competition is becoming more of a reality with the help everyone has given me regarding the organization process of the competition. I have not confirmed the event with my school yet, but I will be sure to contact them in the next few weeks.

 

[Bob]

Your closest delegate to Northwestern Pennsylvania is Zach Garber. He's the only delegate within a two hour drive of that area. The next closest delegates are James Hildreth, Dana Yi, Kian Barry, and Dave Campbell, but they're each at least a 4-5 hour drive from there.

 

[Micah Walker]

Unless I have something up that day I will definitely be there! Before you move any further though, I would get a delegate.
Try asking Zack Garber- I've never organized a competition with him, but I know he will be very helpfull to you as a first time organizer.