Fastest time for solving the Rubik's Cube-world
record set by Erik Akkersdijk
PARDUBICE,
Czech Republic-- Erik
Akkersdijk, 18, solved a standard 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube
in 7.08 seconds at the Czech
Open, setting the world record for the Fastest
time for solving the Rubik's Cube.
Photo:
Erik Akkersdijk, 18, setting the new fastest time for solving
the Rubik's Cube at the Czech Open / Photo World
Cube Association
Australia's quickest Rubik's Cube solver Jasmine
Lee, who completed the puzzle in 20.37 seconds at the UK Open
in 2006, said Akkersdijk's new mark would be hard for anyone
to beat.
"That new record is pretty amazing - over 1.5
seconds faster than the previous record. That's a big margin
at the top levels of competitive cubing," she said.
Erik
Akkersdijk had held the record before with a time
of 9.77 seconds, set during the Dutch Open in 2007.
But that record had been beaten by Edouard
Chambon (9.18 seconds at the Murcia Open 2008 ) and then Japan's
Yu Nakajima (8.72 seconds the Kashiwa Open 2008).
In competitive cubing, each cube is rotated by officials
into a random configuration unveiled to the solver when the
clock starts.
In official compeition only 13 people have ever solved
the cube in less than 10 seconds and all those times have
been set in the last two years.
Erik Akkersdijk still holds the world record for
the Professor's Cube (5 cube, 1 minute 28.66 seconds)
and for the Megaminx (1 minute and 1.78 seconds).
He's also the owner of the average world record
for the Rubik's Revenge (4 cube, 53.99 seconds) and for
the Megaminx (1 minute and 7.70 seconds).
Eric
Akkersdijk, an environmental management student, took
up speedcubing in 2005 and on his
website he lists his other hobbies as chess, juggling,
building model airplanes and swimming.