Global bid to set new record in sports stacking

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PETALING JAYA: More than 700 students participated in a global attempt to set a new world record for the most number of people Sport Stacking from different geographical locations worldwide.

Sport Stacking (also known as cup stacking or speed stacking) is an individual and team sport that involves stacking specialised plastic cups in specific sequences in as little time as possible.

Doing her part: Shusmeetha, five, from HOPE Worldwide stacking the cups at the school in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Participants, called stackers, were required to stack for 30 minutes each throughout the day to be recognised as part of the event.

For the Malaysian leg of the record-setting World Sport Stacking Association (WSSA) Stack Up! on Wednesday, 650 students gathered at the Beaconhouse School-Sri Inai in Taman SEA.

Last year’s event drew 222,560 stackers around the world and the target this year was to get 250,000 stackers at the event described as the “World’s Largest Sports Stacking Event” by Guinness World Records.

According to official organiser BOS Edubiz Sdn Bhd, similar events were held in Singapore and Vietnam. Each venue must send written verification of the numbers to the WSSA. In turn, the association passed on the numbers to Guinness for official recognition.

Aiming to contribute at least 800 stackers to the international effort, Sri Inai also invited 65 students from Bendemeer Secondary School in Singapore as well as 40 children from HOPE Worldwide Malaysia to participate in the meet.

The International School of Kuala Lumpur also held a separate event with 10 participants.

Although still relatively obscure in Malaysia, sports stacking has gained massive international following with tournaments regularly organised in Germany, Japan, Australia, Singapore and Britain.

BOS Edubiz technical director Mark Lee said more than 30,000 schools and youth organisations worldwide used stacking in their physical education curriculum.

“Stacking is a simple, portable and weatherproof activity that helps build confidence and also develop the use of the right and left brain,” Lee said.

He added that stacking was a good exercise for the elderly as it improved motor skills and mental alertness.