Rubik Speedsolving Association - A message from Ernő Rubik

[One Wheel]

For small cubes, it wouldn't. For big cubes, though, it takes long enough and there are enough stages that there could be some meaningful commentary.
I'd say 4x4 and up for most speedsolvers, 5x5 and up for world-class speedsolvers.

If we start doing commentary on competitions, then we need to make 2x2-7x7 relay an official event.

Any big relay would be relatively easy to commentate, but I think that a good commentating crew could handle any of it. If they had the scrambles ahead of time (maybe broadcast on a delay) and could talk about techniques used, reconstructions, optimal solutions, etc. A good commentating crew can make anything from Go to Top Fuel Drag Racing interesting. It might never take over prime time television, but it could be done.

 

[bgcatfan]

Problem with this is commentating on it live wouldn't really work.

It wouldn't need to be live. If it's not live it's easier to show highlights and show specific solves you wish and still carry the story lines of the competition, but within the time frame that's desired.

For small cubes, it wouldn't. For big cubes, though, it takes long enough and there are enough stages that there could be some meaningful commentary.

I think it works as well for small cubes as it does for big cubes. Small cubes there would be mostly silence during the solve, perhaps small comments during, but mostly the reaction and analysis afterwards.

Any big relay would be relatively easy to commentate, but I think that a good commentating crew could handle any of it.

Agreed.

As much as this topic intrigues me, perhaps I have led us off topic...

 

[bgcatfan]

Speaking of televised competitions, I just searched for video of the 1982 world championship and found this, the 1981 and 1982 US National Championships on the TV show "That's Incredible." We've come a long way in cubing competitions. And this is not what I imagine when I think of commentary for cubing competitions.

 

[ntd252]

From my view, I like there is a category about cubing in Olympic games. But thinking more deeply, I would say there shouldn't be. It's a great idea to spread out cubing to the world from appearing in Olympic events. However, when cubing is an Olympic event, the competitiveness will be much higher, because fame from getting prizes in an international event with long history can make people try everything to reach, even right or wrong. Imagining someone uses some kinds of "doping" or cheating ways to win? yes, it happened sometimes in the past, and could become more often in Olympic games.
That's just a perspective to think, maybe there are more in reality.
So I just want to spread out cubing to educating, such as a subject or optional subject, or something official in school. That's pretty cool, we can get a lot of things from solving a cube (yes, those things are not easy to teach the student!)

 

[tacticalpi]

Cubing is not big enough to be an Olympic sport. Some people don't even consider it a sport. The amount of cubers is still really small. Maybe RSA can help to promote cubing as a sport.

 

[mark49152]

What happened to the RSA? No news for months, and no mention on the WC2017 website.

 

[mark49152]

Seems it has quietly launched itself: www.rubiks-rcsa.com

 

[One Wheel]

This is lovely. From FAQ:

What is the Official Rubik's Speedcube? The RCSA has partnered with GAN and Rubik’s to make sure that the very best speedcubes are made available in a transparent and legitimate manner for the speedcubing community.

I'm thrilled.

 

[shadowslice e]

Seems it has quietly launched itself: www.rubiks-rcsa.com

I wonder why it was so quiet.

 

[h2f]

Seems it has quietly launched itself: www.rubiks-rcsa.com

I was looking for it in last few days and found nothing. Thanks, Mark.

 

[Max Cruz]

I wonder why it was so quiet.

How do you know it was "quiet?" It looks like it has a larger presence in Europe, and most of the cubers here (to my knowledge) are from US. For example, it seems to sponsor competitions like the Polish Open, Hungarian Nationals, etc.

 

[shadowslice e]

How do you know it was "quiet?" It looks like it has a larger presence in Europe, and most of the cubers here (to my knowledge) are from US. For example, it seems to sponsor competitions like the Polish Open, Hungarian Nationals, etc.

I live in the uk. You could have checked that from my profile.

Also there does exist a thing called conversing with other people.

Also I was implying it may have something to do with the lawsuit.

 

[Max Cruz]

I live in the uk. You could have checked that from my profile.

Also there does exist a thing called conversing with other people.

Also I was implying it may have something to do with the lawsuit.

Point taken. I wasn't sure how many European cubers were on this forum. Thank you for clarifying.

However, could you expand on the lawsuit explanation? Do you think they are keeping it "quiet" because it might face some backlash in the US?