Sport stacking
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sport stacking (formerly known as cup stacking) is an individual and team activity played using plastic cups. It originated in the early 1980's in southern California and received national attention in 1990 on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Participants of sport stacking stack and unstack cups in pre-determined sequences, competing against the clock or another player. Sequences are usually pyramids of three, six or ten upside-down cups. Proponents of the sport say participants learn teamwork, cooperation, ambidexterity, and hand-eye coordination.
Tournaments are governed by the World Sport Stacking Association. In 2004, the Association changed the activity's name from cup stacking to sport stacking in an attempt to give it "immediate identification as a competitive sport."
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[edit] The Cups
Sport Stacking can be done with specially designed cups only, because otherwise the cups would stick together. Made of durable plastic, they have holes in the bottom to allow air to pass through quickly when stacking the cups together and are designed so they can be quickly separated from each other when stacked. There are also training cups available, which are made of metal and are therefore heavier than the regular durable plastic variety. There is also a "Stack Mat." The mats have a timer on the side that you switch on, and than set your hands on the marked spots. A light goes on and you pick up your hands and start stacking.
[edit] Rules
There are three main types of stacks in competition. All stacks can be made from left-to-right or right-to-left (individual preference), but the same direction must be maintained for both "up stacking" (setting the cups into pyramids) and "down stacking" (unstacking the pyramids and returning them to their nested position).
[edit] 3 - 3 - 3
Uses 9 cups. Cups start upside-down in three nested stacks of 3. The stacker must create three pyramids of 3 upside-down cups each and then down stack the cups back into nested stacks of 3 in the order that they were upstacked.
[edit] 3 - 6 - 3
Uses 12 cups. The stacker must create three pyramids made up of three cups on the left, six cups in the center, and three cups on the right (3-6-3), then down stack the cups in the order that they were upstacked into their original position.
[edit] 6 - 6
Uses 12 cups. The stacker must create pyramids of 6 cups on the left and 6 on the right and then stack both of them down and create on pile of cups.
[edit] The Cycle Stack
The most complicated stack is called the Cycle Stack. It involves a sequence which includes, in order: a 3-6-3 stack, a 6-6 stack, and a 1-10-1 stack, finishing in a down stacked 3-6-3.
[edit] Competition
Most sport stacking competitions are geared toward children, with divisions by year for ages 12 and under. For older stackers, the divisions are by age groups: 13-14, 15-18, 19-24 (Collegiate), 25-59 (Master), 60+ (Senior). There are also divisions for "Special Stackers" (disabled people).
In team relay, four-person teams compete head-to-head in a best-of-three-race match. In doubles, two stackers stand side-by-side to complete the stack, with one Stacker using only his or her right hand while the other using only his or her left.
[edit] 2006
- Cycle Champion: Shane Grinnell, 14 and under, Colorado, time 7.58 sec
- 3-6-3 Champion: David Wolf, 10, Germany, time 2.75 sec
- 3-3-3 Champion: David Wolf, 10, Germany, time 2.28 sec
- Doubles Cycle: Chase Demelio and Andy Retting, 14 and under, Colorado, 10.11 sec
- Cycle world Champion: Emily Fox, Colorado 7.43 sec
[edit] World Records
The world record for the fastest cycle stack is 7.43 seconds, completed by Emily Fox from Denver, Colorado, whose feat is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
However, many [name a specific person/group] argued that this record should not be allowed to stand as Emily Fox had her timing taken by judges instead of using a self timer that is the standard in today's tournaments. By having judges take her timing, Emily enjoyed unfair advantages.
[edit] External links
- Crazy-Cups
- World Sport Stacking Association
- Speed Stacks
- SuperHandz ("Extreme Hand Sports", including Sport Stacking video clips)
