2009: Feet Cubing

[BigSams]

i personally dont think that it is a necessary event... BUT if much of the non-cubing community loses interest in watching cubing, as an effect of feel-solving's removal, then the event should not be withdrawn.
it is possible that the "sport" of speedcubing cannot last long without outside support, which is why the audience must be kept happy. i'm sure that no one wants the wca to disband due to lack of support (like in the 80s when the cube craze was over and there would not be another competition for 2 decades --> which happened due to an uninterested public).
On the other hand, if cubing can feed on itself or public interest does not matter, then go ahead and remove feet-solving. it would save time, and some other event/s could be added. maybe even some exotic puzzle (not one that no one knows, im thinking skewb)

[Erik]

Nice anekdote: yesterday I was at a German TV show, had to solve the cube with feet. Still the next day I got an email from the contactperson of the TV that 2 girls would like to have my emailadres... I guess it doesn't repulse them (or they just have a feet fetish...)

[sgowal]

This brings the problem of adding events (such as 6x6 and 7x7) without removing any other event. I totally agree with Joel, it becomes really hard to put in place competitions where all official events can take place.

During the Swiss Open, I especially did not approve on doing the 6x6 and 7x7 when making the schedule since those were unofficial events. Due to a lack of communication we (the WCA delegate and I) ended thinking that those could be official events and since we had some extra time we did the 6x6 event (We had no time for the 7x7). Furthermore I had competitors asking me during the competition if we could do the 7x7 or feet solving... but also team solving, 2x2 one-handed, etc. Imagine if those events become official...

With the increased number of competitions, organizers will have to offer "very attractive" events to make sure that enough competitors show up. And we will end up having competitions offering all the same popular events. I'd hate to see 2 competitions being scheduled on the same week-end with one having 10 competitors and the other having 100 competitors, just because the latter offered an additional 11x11 event.

Feet solving has had 80 competitors so far, is it really worth keeping it official (same thing with big cubes blindfolded). I personally will not organize a feet solving event for the next competitions I organize, because I will rather have an unofficial team solving event.

For the hygiene issue, I would simply recommend having no stackmats anymore but simply a judge with a stopwatch.

Sorry for picking the thread a little late, but I had to give my opinion on this,
Sven