# Who's going to Us open= qualification is tough



## cubekid57 (May 27, 2008)

The qualification for this tournnament is tough. In order to make it past the 3x3 prelims you have to get 1n 18 sec. solve or less. Last year'
s us open wasn't even this tough to get past. I was just wondering who is going. I know it is early, but I want to get an idea of who will be there. I know I will. Also, to the organisers, are there going to be puzzles or tshirts on sale?


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## masterofthebass (May 27, 2008)

cubekid, the 18s qualification isn't that bad. already, 73 people have pre-qualified, compared to only 45 in 2007 (not taking into account that the US Open was held in june. There are only 23 people who got sub 18 averages before 2007.) 


Personally, I've finally qualified for everything, since I'm horrible at BLD in competition. I'm actually buying my plane tickets either today or tomorrow, before they get too expensive.


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## ajmorgan25 (May 27, 2008)

I'm going. Hopefully, I'll be able to qualify by then.


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## PatrickJameson (May 27, 2008)

i'm going, i've qualified for everything except bld. I got a freaken 2:30.86!!! .86 seconds away from qualifying...


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## Swordsman Kirby (May 28, 2008)

masterofthebass said:


> cubekid, the 18s qualification isn't that bad. already, 73 people have pre-qualified, compared to only 45 in 2007 (not taking into account that the US Open was held in june. There are only 23 people who got sub 18 averages before 2007.)
> 
> 
> Personally, I've finally qualified for everything, since I'm horrible at BLD in competition. I'm actually buying my plane tickets either today or tomorrow, before they get too expensive.



Not to mention 4x4 and 5x5 qualification times are identical to last year's...


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## Bryan (May 28, 2008)

I'm going. I figured I wouldn't make it past the first round, but I was hoping to at least be able to get an average. However, my practicing time this summer might be a lot or a little (beyond my control). But anyway, I figure I'll go and have fun hanging out with people, and maybe I'll focus more on the side events.


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## cuBerBruce (May 28, 2008)

PatrickJameson said:


> i'm going, i've qualified for everything except bld. I got a freaken 2:30.86!!! .86 seconds away from qualifying...



According to the WCA database, there are zero people with an average in 3x3x3 BLD. So if the US Nationals web site is accurate, nobody currently pre-qualifies for 3x3x3 BLD.


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## Durben (May 28, 2008)

I was suppose to be going.... But my VISA was denied.
All my times were already qualified....


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## pjk (May 28, 2008)

I won't be able to make it this year. Good luck guys.


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## Lofty (May 28, 2008)

I have no plans set in stone but it is "only" a 5 hour drive so I want to go so bad. Its a bit upsetting that I will barely qualify for anything bu OH and speedsolving and speedsolving I wont even get probably past the first round. idk OH and hanging out is all I really care about i suppose... but it would be fun to qualify to at least do an average on all the 2x2-5x5 cubes.


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## Hadley4000 (May 28, 2008)

I won't qualify for anything, but I am going considering it's 10 minutes from me 

I actually have a good shot at pyraminx, and to a lesser extent, clock.


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## Mike Hughey (May 28, 2008)

cuBerBruce said:


> PatrickJameson said:
> 
> 
> > i'm going, i've qualified for everything except bld. I got a freaken 2:30.86!!! .86 seconds away from qualifying...
> ...



I'm betting the US Nationals website is not accurate here. Last year prequalification was based on your best time beating the qualification time (which was 3:30). (But I understand, Bruce, that you were probably either joking or quietly trying to nudge the US Nationals organizers to adjust their website for qualification requirements.)


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## philkt731 (May 28, 2008)

I need to qualify for OH and BLD, hopefully I can get my OH at MN, but BLD, I'll have to do there. And if I don't get sub 2:30, let's hope I'm in the top 5 (or more, depending)

EDIT: Now that I see its avg, I need to qualify for 4x4 and 5x5, but I think I will get 4x4 at MN, and since there is no 5x5 at MN, I may be one of the best in the qualifying for the 5x5, seeing as I avg about 45 seconds under the qualifying time


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## HelloiamChow (May 28, 2008)

I should be there.

Wow, a 2:30 BLD to qualify? Man thats tough. I hope I can make it out of the first round in 3x3 and 4x4, anything else from there is just gravy.


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## Mike Hughey (May 28, 2008)

philkt731 said:


> EDIT: Now that I see its avg, I need to qualify for 4x4 and 5x5, but I think I will get 4x4 at MN, and since there is no 5x5 at MN, I may be one of the best in the qualifying for the 5x5, seeing as I avg about 45 seconds under the qualifying time



I was about to mention that, Phil, but then I decided you weren't worried about 4x4x4 and 5x5x5, since you're almost certain to make it through the qualifying rounds for those.

I hope I get to meet you at the US Open - it's funny that you live 60 miles away from me, but the first time I'll probably meet you is in Atlanta.


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## Stefan (May 28, 2008)

I registered a moment ago. Don't have flight/hotel yet. The "official" hotel looks expensive to me, at least for a single person. Where will you be staying, what's the price, will you be sharing rooms?


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## Bryan (May 28, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> I registered a moment ago. Don't have flight/hotel yet. The "official" hotel looks expensive to me, at least for a single person. Where will you be staying, what's the price, will you be sharing rooms?



I'm staying at the Red Roof Inn, which is about 70/night and looks to be within walking distance. I do have one person I'm splitting with, but I'd be willing to take in more to get the cost down, since I do have to stay three nights.

Phil, there's a strong strong chance more events will be held at the Minnesota Open, I just can't commit to them now as I would much rather not hold an event than to have someone come and drop "their" event. But yes, bring your 5x5x5 and blindfold.


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## ExoCorsair (May 28, 2008)

Same boat as Pat. Have fun all, I want to see some NARs broken (again).


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## alexc (May 29, 2008)

ExoCorsair said:


> Same boat as Pat. Have fun all, I want to see some NARs broken (again).



I'll go for the multi NAR, as long as Rowe won't do like 40.  Still a while away from 14, but I think I can make it.

I'm qualified for 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, and 3x3 bld. I got a 30.71 OH single at CC, so I'm .72 away from qualifying for that.


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## masterofthebass (May 29, 2008)

alex, for pre-qualifying, you need to have official averages faster than the qualification time. That means that you are 1.09s away from qualifying.


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## fanwuq (May 29, 2008)

No way. I can qualify for nothing. Some are very close. If I go, I could only do FMC, Pyraminx, Megaminx, and multi-BLD. So, I won't go.


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## philkt731 (May 29, 2008)

Bryan said:


> Phil, there's a strong strong chance more events will be held at the Minnesota Open, I just can't commit to them now as I would much rather not hold an event than to have someone come and drop "their" event. But yes, bring your 5x5x5 and blindfold.


Ok, sounds good. BTW, is it ok if I don't have a blindfold , I just use a bandana t ocover my eyes at home...


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## Hadley4000 (May 29, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> I registered a moment ago. Don't have flight/hotel yet. The "official" hotel looks expensive to me, at least for a single person. Where will you be staying, what's the price, will you be sharing rooms?



There goes my chance for clock...


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## masterofthebass (May 29, 2008)

Hadley, again... Just because a non-US is there, doesn't mean you won't be national champion. And BTW, you need to be better than 12s to beat both me and Tim Sun.


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## Swordsman Kirby (May 29, 2008)

masterofthebass said:


> Hadley, again... Just because a non-US is there, doesn't mean you won't be national champion. And BTW, you need to be better than 12s to beat both me and Tim Sun.



Oh hi... 



> No way. I can qualify for nothing. Some are very close. If I go, I could only do FMC, Pyraminx, Megaminx, and multi-BLD. So, I won't go.



What's wrong with doing 2/3 solves but not getting an average? I did that for BLD last year at the US Open.



> Same boat as Pat. Have fun all, I want to see some NARs broken (again).



I can't believe I didn't get clock average that time.


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## Tyson (May 29, 2008)

Lofty said:


> I have no plans set in stone but it is "only" a 5 hour drive so I want to go so bad. Its a bit upsetting that I will barely qualify for anything bu OH and speedsolving and speedsolving I wont even get probably past the first round. idk OH and hanging out is all I really care about i suppose... but it would be fun to qualify to at least do an average on all the 2x2-5x5 cubes.



I just read this. The main reason why we don't have an opportunity for averages is because of time. If we have time, we will allow people who did not advance to complete their averages.

Also, I wish it was clear, but BLD qualification is based on single as WCA does not measure averages for BLD.


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## Mike Hughey (May 29, 2008)

Tyson said:


> Also, I wish it was clear, but BLD qualification is based on single as WCA does not measure averages for BLD.



Thanks for the clarification, Tyson - I figured that, but it is nice to have it stated clearly. Now I have something to shoot for in Cincinnati this weekend (probably in vain, but hey, I can dream!). 3x3x3 BLD and 5x5x5 are the only events I really have a shot at prequalifying for - both are tough, but possible for me.

At least this year, thanks to the side events (especially big cubes BLD!), I won't be relegated to being purely a spectator on the second day, like I was last year.


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## Tyson (May 29, 2008)

I apologize that these days, if you don't have very fast times, it is very possible to end up as merely a spectator on the second day. But I think this is just a consequence of the sport growing. Before, it used to be very easy for anyone to be "world class." These days, "world class" really does mean at the top of the world.

It's unfortunate that the qualification times have to be so stringent, but look at it on the bright side. We can still have a national championships and invite everyone. At least, right now, anyone can walk into the competition, compete, and however unlikely, have a very direct route at winning the championships. In many events, championship events are by invitation only.

So, it kind of a tough call. On one hand, it is a competition and we want everyone to be able to participate. However, it is the national event of the year, and so we do want to see the very best that the United States has. I think it's somewhat of a compromise, but at least people who aren't the fastest get to compete in the same event as the very best.


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## Mike Hughey (May 29, 2008)

I think the current format is great, for exactly the reasons you give! And I had a lot of fun last year even though I didn't compete in anything the second day. What I think is more unfortunate is that at our current growth rate, it could become invitational pretty quickly. But if that happens, I guess we can still be pretty happy that cubing has grown so well.

If it gets too big, maybe you could still have it be a "US Open" and work it like pro golf - have regional qualifiers where the top 2 or 3 (or a number based on the number of competitors) at each qualifier can get in. That way it's still possible (however unlikely) for an unknown to come out of nowhere and still win it all.


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## alexc (May 29, 2008)

masterofthebass said:


> alex, for pre-qualifying, you need to have official averages faster than the qualification time. That means that you are 1.09s away from qualifying.



Oh, sorry, I thought it was singles. Nevermind, my bad...


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## sam (May 29, 2008)

i will probably be driving down (part of a road trip with my mother).
Hope to see you guys there! now i need that sub 18 3x3 at DaVinci...


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## Hadley4000 (May 30, 2008)

masterofthebass said:


> Hadley, again... Just because a non-US is there, doesn't mean you won't be national champion. And BTW, you need to be better than 12s to beat both me and Tim Sun.





I know that. I am improving literally more and more by the day. I will be in the running by then.


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## cubekid57 (May 30, 2008)

Yeah, thanks for the help Tyson. I am still going even though I will probably not even make it past the qualifying rounds for any event. Hopefully, I can make it to the next round in 3x3 oh, I practice that alot.


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