Yearly Archives: 2008

Finally – a sport for sysadmins and network engineers everywhere! From http://www.speedcabling.org/:

Speedcabling is a competitive sport in which contestants race to unravel a bundle of wires.

The Regulation Cable Set

There are two types of competition. In 2-2-2 competition, the contestant’s set consists of two 7-foot cables, two 14-foot cables, and two 21-foot cables. In 4-4-4 competition there are four of each type of cable.

CAT-5 Ethernet cables are to be used. Contestants may use any cable they wish, as long as it is capable of carrying 100Mb/s prior to competition. During competition, the colors red, blue, and yellow are used for the 7, 14, and 21 foot cables resepectively.

Bundling Regulations

The process of bundling the cables must be applied uniformly and methodically, to ensure the integrity of our sport. During official competition bundling may only be performed by certified bundlers.

The first step in bundling is the establishment of the figure-8. The set is stretched out, with the cables unentwined and approximately colinear. One set of ends is grabbed in one hand. With the other, the cables are smoothed and a figure-8 of one meter in length is formed.

The second step is the tangling process, which is performed at a laundromat or similar facility. The figure-8 structure is placed into a dryer, on high heat setting, for exactly three minutes. When performed correctly, the set becomes denser and more entangled.

The final step is the cooling period. The bundle must be allowed to cool until it regains room temperature. Then the competition can begin!

Competition Structure

The bundles are placed on a table at waist height. The beginning of time is sounded by the referee. The contestants begin cabling. A wire is considered separate when it is in contact with no other wires. Each contestant must separate each wire, and demonstrate its separation by holding the wire above their head.

The full body of the cable must be held above the head to complete a separation. This requirement is in place so that separation will be visually clear to the referee. The last cable must also be held above the head in this manner.

After each separation, the separated wire must be placed on the floor. If a non-separated wire touches the floor, the contestant is immediately disqualified. The first contestant to separate all of their wires wins.

Updated: Boing Boing has some video