#5 Eleanor Sinnott

Meet the cuber? Or should I say, meet the Delegate?

A bit of a switch-up this week as we ask some more tailored questions to a UKCA Delegate. That's right! This week it's UKCA Treasurer and Delegate Eleanor Sinnott!!

How did you get into cubing?

My brother bought a cube from a charity shop many years ago and I got absolutely hooked - in fact my dad bought me my own cube to settle the squabbling.

Describe your first competition...

My first competition was UKC 2016. I was very nervous and averaged about 50 seconds, so I knew there would be a lot of people faster than me. I remember walking in and being overcome by this really powerful awe at being surrounded by so many other people who all shared my passion. That feeling has long worn off for me at competitions nowadays, but I often wonder if our new competitors ever get that same awestruck feeling.

What do you enjoy most about cubing?

I'm a very numbers-oriented person, so watching my times tick down is incredibly motivating and addictive. That's why I can't stand doing untimed solves!

What inspired you to become a Delegate?

There's a saying that often goes around - "in cubing, you either get fast or you become a Delegate" and, well, I knew I wasn't going to get fast! Jokes aside, it's incredibly rewarding to get to bring people from all across the UK together united by this awesome hobby. I especially saw the lack of competitions in Scotland where I live and was very grateful to have the opportunity to ignite the competition scene here.

What is something most people don’t know about being a UKCA Delegate?

Probably just the sheer amount that goes on behind the scenes. From emails to bookkeeping to things you might not even have considered, like we have to write a report to the WCA for every competition we run, which can be as long as 5000 words. It's definitely a lot of work, which makes me very proud of our incredible team of volunteers.

What do you do outside of cubing?

I'm a second year Maths student.

Last but not least, a fun fact?

I once got an infection from a Pyraminx tip getting lodged underneath my fingernail during a solve. Stay safe out there!

Thanks for answering Eleanor! And thank you to all Delegates for the hard work that goes into each and every competition!