Quebec teen breaks national record for fastest cubing solve while blindfolded
A Quebec teen has broken a national record for the fastest time to solve a Rubik's cube while wearing a blindfold.
In a flurry of colour, Elliott Kobelansky twisted a three-by-three cube into order in just 15.86 seconds – a period which includes studying the unsolved puzzle before putting on the blindfold.
"I feel great," he told CTV News Saturday afternoon, just hours after breaking former world champion Jake Klassen's previous record of 16.56 seconds.
"I've been working towards this for a while, and it's good to see all my practice pay off," he said.
Kobelansky first picked up a Rubik's cube when he was six years old. After solving it the first time, his father says, he was hooked.
These days, regular practice can take up to five hours every day.
"It's a lot of training," said his dad, Allan Kobelansky. "This is not something you can take lightly."
For the blind category, there are no physical markings on the cube to help its solver. In other words, after Kobelansky peeks at the scrambled cube, he solves it completely from memory.
"In my head, I have sort of a mental image of the cube. Not the colours, just a blank cube, and I'm seeing the moves as I do them," he said.
"I have a method to transform the cube into letters, a string of letters that I memorize. Then, when I put the blindfold on, I have a way of transforming those letters into moves on the cube to solve it."
He says he was proud of the record, adding that he's been able to do it even faster at home.
He was one of dozens competing in a competition hosted by the World Cube Association. His talents have taken him far from home in Canada and south of the border. There are plans to compete in Korea next year.
Kobelansky said his success was made possible by the support of his father, who accompanied him to the event Saturday.
"Basically I told him any event we can drive to we will go to without question," said Allan Kobelansky.
Several competitors told CTV Saturday that they felt happy to appear at the event after a two-year pandemic hiatus.
Athletes of all ages signed up, and none were turned away for a lack of experience.
"Cubing is a very inclusive sport, everyone is invited to join no matter how fast or how slow you are. I don't feel any different being relatively new," said Maxence Leboeuf, a young cuber who picked up the sport in December.
It's a philosophy shared by the event's organizers.
"Competitions are meant to be fun for everyone," said World Cube Association Delegate Nathan Dwyer, who specializes in four-by-four and five-by-five categories.
"Even though it is technically a competitive event, everyone is just here to support each other and have fun," he said, adding that most people come to "race against their own personal times rather than being cutthroat with others."
"It's very welcoming and it's a lot of fun."
The event continues Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.