Participants in speed cabling untangle bundles of Cat-5 Ethernet cable in a competitive sport. The event is won by the contestant who untangles all of his or her cables from the bundle first. As one might expect, computer professionals with detangling skills gained through years on the job dominate speed cabling, and some argue that this Ethernet detangling sport is dominated by members of the geek community.
Steven Schkolne, a Los Angeles-based artist, created this sporting event. The rules of speed cabling are quite specific, with the goal of making the bundles uniform so that contestants can be judged equally. Contestants can detangle either six or twelve different lengths of cable, which must be tangled by a “certified bundler” who has mastered the technique. Before the competition, the wire bundle is even dried to encourage more matting and tangling.
The bundles of cables are placed on tables at waist height, and competitors can extract cables from the matted mass using whatever untangling methods they want. Before dropping a cable on the floor and moving on to free another, the competitor must hold it up clearly to allow the judges to see it. The speed cablers can ensure that the judges see and note their performance by holding the cables up to demonstrate successful untangling.
A speed cabler can use a variety of techniques to free their bundles from the mass, with some focusing on removing specific cables and others using a more general detangling scheme. Speed, as well as sure and limber fingers, an eye for detail, and the patterns formed by the knots and tangles in the bundle, are essential. Many skilled speed cablers gain experience working with tangled cables in a variety of situations on the job.
Many computer professionals employ a variety of methods to keep their cables well organized, making them simple to manipulate and locate in a hurry. Even the best-organized cables, however, have a remarkable proclivity for tangling, making speed cabling a very useful skill as well as a fun sport. You can use your favorite search engine to look for a speed cabling meet in your area by searching for “speed cabling” and your location.