What event will WCA remove next?

[Roux]

I personally think (and want) 5bld to be removed. It’s not very spectator friendly and is pretty much dominated by one person: Stanley Chapel. No hate to him, but he has held the world record for 7 years. If an event is that difficult that only one person has been the best at it since 2019, I think it’s time to reconsider whether it should be an event. Correct me if I’m wrong, only about 800 people have ever had a 5bld success. It’s impressive, just not enough people compete.

 

[Jorian Meeuse]

Too many people thinking that an event should be removed if it should not be added to a hypothetical WCA without the event. Of course, if the WCA did not have 5BLD or clock or similar, it should not be added. But removing events is kind of dumb imo, possibly with the exception of giving an event like a 1-2 year trial run and removing it if it doesn't work out.

Clock shouldn't have been removed, and if they really wanted it gone they should have done so back when it was a bad and relatively unpopular event.

 

[Mike Hughey]

Correct me if I’m wrong, only about 800 people have ever had a 5bld success.

1114 people have had a 5bld success. I am assuming that is correct because that is Stefan Pochmann's rank, and I am (perhaps incorrectly) assuming that the first ever successful official 5bld solve is still the slowest one.

I don't understand why people are so happy about removing events. The tier solution would certainly be an alternative, and it was even suggested as a possibility in the WCA survey. I admit I didn't vote for it, since I don't want any events removed at all and would prefer that they all have full status. But I don't see why less popular events couldn't just be put in a lower tier and therefore held less often, while still retaining their status as valid events. Why do people want so much to remove events completely rather than simply relegating them to a lower tier?

 

[mdcuber9]

1114 people have had a 5bld success. I am assuming that is correct because that is Stefan Pochmann's rank, and I am (perhaps incorrectly) assuming that the first ever successful official 5bld solve is still the slowest one.

Jakub Hanuszkiewicz actually got a 3:15:03.00 success in January this year, longer than Stefan.

 

[Jared Burkhart]

Not happy any events got removed. If it is a puzzle and people are good at it, then it should be included if you ask me. The puzzle exists. Like a 8x8 or something, and if people are good at it, then they should have the right to bring it to a comp.

 

[TheSpeedSkewber]

I guess i'll be the one to say it-

The gragglecube has to go. The gragglesolvers discord has been dead for basically years now, and graggle as an event peaked in like 2017.

The last innovation in gragglecubes was QiYi's invention of the griggleflap on the gibbletips, causing the great graggleflation of 2016 where gragglecube solvers were able to solve the graggle in sub-10 times.

The gragglecube is so irrelevant in fact that it hasn't ever been mentioned on SS. It's only because of the generous donations of John Graggle, the cube's inventor, that the WCA keep the event. Systemic corruption.

 

[acrystal]

I guess i'll be the one to say it-

The gragglecube has to go. The gragglesolvers discord has been dead for basically years now, and graggle as an event peaked in like 2017.

The last innovation in gragglecubes was QiYi's invention of the griggleflap on the gibbletips, causing the great graggleflation of 2016 where gragglecube solvers were able to solve the graggle in sub-10 times.

The gragglecube is so irrelevant in fact that it hasn't ever been mentioned on SS. It's only because of the generous donations of John Graggle, the cube's inventor, that the WCA keep the event. Systemic corruption.

youre kidding, right?

 

[TheSpeedSkewber]

youre kidding, right?

Why would I be kidding? I don't wanna hear any of your reguritated pro-graggle talking points

 

[Marcus Zook]

Jakub Hanuszkiewicz actually got a 3:15:03.00 success in January this year, longer than Stefan.View attachment 49679

Bro has broken sub 1 on 4 bld

 

[Chris Choi]

I am happy they removed clock, and I hope they remove more. I hope they also remove 5BLD, 7x7, 6x6, and 3x3 OH.

 

[Roux]

I am happy they removed clock, and I hope they remove more. I hope they also remove 5BLD, 7x7, 6x6, and 3x3 OH.

See I think clock should’ve stayed, and 6x6 & 3x3 OH too, I understand 5BLD & 7x7 though. They are pretty much just extensions of 4BLD & 6x6.

 

[Roux]

1114 people have had a 5bld success. I am assuming that is correct because that is Stefan Pochmann's rank, and I am (perhaps incorrectly) assuming that the first ever successful official 5bld solve is still the slowest one.

I don't understand why people are so happy about removing events. The tier solution would certainly be an alternative, and it was even suggested as a possibility in the WCA survey. I admit I didn't vote for it, since I don't want any events removed at all and would prefer that they all have full status. But I don't see why less popular events couldn't just be put in a lower tier and therefore held less often, while still retaining their status as valid events. Why do people want so much to remove events completely rather than simply relegating them to a lower tier?

See, you are right. Why remove them when you can put them in a lower tier? I think it’s kinda like a rainbow cube scenario; it’s an event, it certainly is, it’s just not popular enough to consistently hold officially. ~280,000 people have ever competed at 3x3. If we want the sport to grow as a whole then we need focus on the larger, more popular events such as 3x3 or 2x2. I wish we didn’t have to remove events, but that would only happen if they were more popular.

 

[-Cube Kid-]

See I think clock should’ve stayed, and 6x6 & 3x3 OH too, I understand 5BLD & 7x7 though. They are pretty much just extensions of 4BLD & 6x6.

More people would like 4bld to leave insead of 5 bld

 

[Martyt7777]

More people would like 4bld to leave insead of 5 bld

Why?

 

[-Cube Kid-]

Why?

5bld is more interesting ig. And there is always 3 bld for more beginner bld solvers (isn't there? idk how many bld events there is lol)

 

[Roux]

I think we need a big cube blindfolded and 4x4 should be it.

 

[....]

See I think clock should’ve stayed, and 6x6 & 3x3 OH too, I understand 5BLD & 7x7 though. They are pretty much just extensions of 4BLD & 6x6.

imo anyone who gets into 7x7 at this time and practices enough to become sub 2:40 will probably disagree, though i know a handful of slower people who would too

 

[ikindalikeclock]

they might as well remove 2x2 or 3bld atp because its not “spectator friendly”

 

[Thomas.Caleb]

I think and idk why but we will see some blind events and NxNs going which will be 4bld 5bld 6x6 and 7x7

 

[Clock_Enthusiast]

I'm still extremely dissatisfied by the WCAs sentiments around event removal. Not just because clock is my main event, though that certainly fuels my own personal disappointment. The WCA should have never gone for this extent of commercialization. They're draining the soul of this community to become "mainstream", but at what cost and for what net gain? I think zero events should be removed. Not big BLD, big cubes, clock, nor anything else. These events all have well-established communities within speedcubing, and event removal erodes the very pillars of identity, effort, and and curiosity that these events provide within the community. Frankly, it's an insult to us.

The WCA's apathy in alluding to further event removal is ludicrous. Even if you're impartial to current event changes, other events you may enjoy are not inherently safe. That's the existential uncertainty in our community. Big BLD and big cubes (7x7 and/or 6x6) are clearly at risk, and I could very well see them going after FMC if "spectator-friendliness" is a deciding factor. There is so much more depth to cubing than being entiched for short periods of time with quicker or more visually enticing events. The intellectual facets of events are a huge component of cubing, and detracting from this value cultivates an environmental framework of clout, exclusivity, and emphasis on "viral content" rather than pure enjoyment, mutual interest, and connection.

World class solvers certainly deserve to be recognized for their achievements and skill. They work very hard and display immense talent under pressure. They fully deserve to be appreciated on a global stage at championships. However, they represent a small subset of the community overall. Hyper-competitiveness is inconducive to general morale, and I observe this at many competitions I attend. Unprovoked criticism from judges after solves, snarky comments, and intense emotions over results have become increasingly prevalent over the years. Some people attend competitions every weekend, but many of them clearly aren't having fun. I hold a deep nostalgia for cubing 10-11 years ago, and I completely recognize that over a decade, the climate and community shifts and grows. We have many more members in the community, which is a wonderful thing; but we need to continuously foster the elements which inspired our initial interests and participation in cubing.

I have hope for the future given that many people in our community share similar sentiments. Cubing is an incredible activity and we have a large, established community that isn't going anywhere. We need to consider the values which bring us together, and I hope that WCA directors can recognize and appreciate these principles as well.