Spanish Championship 2004

November 13, 2004 - The Spanish Championship in Madrid (I had been invited to demonstrate blindfolded and onehanded cubing, and then did a normal five-in-a-row as well (times were about 14:00, 0:50 and 2:10, respectively)).

To be honest, I was quite surprised. I had been at the European Championships 2004 just three months earlier and Antonio Gallego was the only Spanish participant, with a record time of 55.35 seconds. Now in Madrid, there were 19 participants and several making it into the 20s, the Spanish record improving to 25.04 seconds.

Thanks a lot to everybody, I had a really wonderful time in Madrid. Special thanks to the Seven Towns and Popular de Juguetes (the Spanish Rubik distributor I think) people for organizing this great event and inviting me, to Antonio and Alvaro for being judges (and supporting the Spanish cubing community in several ways), and Lucas and Luis for a nice and interesting (i.e. cubing) evening after the competition.

The results. Also have a look at Alvaro's report with videos (Spanish version) and pictures. And maybe the Spanish Rubik's Club.

Happy cubing, Spain!

Click on the pictures to see larger versions. Or do you prefer all big pictures on one page?. Sorry if I got some names or numbers wrong, and please forgive me for not having lines above letters like "é" (do Spanish keyboards support these?).

	The competition and spectator areas in the early morning. Look at all the puzzles (cubes and snakes) on all sides...
	A closer look at the competition area, Dave and Chrissi of Seven Towns building up the timers.
	Waaah, I want them all!!!
	First prize is a trip to Florida? Wow, not bad for a national championship...
	A view from behind the scenes. In the background you can see a part of the toy section of the store.
	The trophies.
	On the left is a cover that the judges used to hide the cubes from the competitors right before their solve. Much cooler than a sheet of paper. On the right is a 25th anniversary cube. Will they be sold soon?
	One of the posters advertising the championship in other places of the store.
	The first competitors (this is ??) are eager to practice and getting used to the timers...
	Registration, with Antonio and Alvaro in front.
	Lucas and Manuel starting to practice.
	Manuel getting used to the timer. Even before I saw him twist a cube, I said to myself he looks like an excellent speedcuber. I was right, later he made 3rd place and in practice he had a time of about 22 seconds.
	Dave being filmed while scrambling.
	Welcome speech before the start (Alvaro, Ana, Antonio, Ricardo).
	Antonio and Alvaro starting the comptition, Chrissi and Dave judging them. Antonio and Alvaro went first because later they were the judges for all other competitors, while Dave, Chrissi and I were scrambling.
	Ok, now the place is looking full. View from the place where we scrambled, the scrambles and other stuff hidden behind a wall of cubes.
	Ana and Dave entering the times into the computers.
	During a break, we went to eat something. Of course we kept cubing and talking about cubing ;-) That's El Meri, Natalia, Manuel, Luis, Lucas and me.
	Manuel during his last solve in the finals.
	Luis with his last solve.
	Jose and the very last solve of the competition.
	Jose, Alvaro, Luis, Lucas and Manuel solving the cube onehanded.
	Jose, Alvaro and Luis.
	Lucas and Manuel.
	Winner's ceremony begins, competitors getting some special prizes.
	Jose and Lucas unpacking their silver cubes.
	Alvaro, Luis, Manuel, Lucas and Jose posing for the cameras with their silver cubes. Manuel got one with a stand (which looks great, but you can't turn the cube normally anymore ;-)
	Jose getting a cube trophy from Dave for his Spanish record of 25.04 seconds.
	Manuel getting his prize and a trophy for getting 3rd place (36.22 average in the finals). I had the pleasure of giving the trophies to the winners.
	Luis got 2nd place (33.57 average in the finals).
	Ernesto, the Spanish champion (31.43 average in the finals). Congratulations!!! Next to him are Ana, Susana and Maria (of Popular de Juguetes).
	Spanish champion Ernesto and a strange German guy...
	Every competitor got this Popular de Juguetes bag with a Rubik's neckband, a keychain 3x3 and a computer mouse with little cubes floating around inside. I also got one, they had some left. No cube pictures on the bag, but at least 3*3 pictures.
	Big group picture. Thanks to Alvaro for this picture and the next two.
	Every competitor got some sort of 'diploma'.
	Antonio and Alvaro also got some trophies for their support. Thanks, guys!