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Memory champs meet for UK contest | Memory champs meet for UK contest |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Some of the world's finest memories are testing their recall abilities at the UK Open Memory Championships in London. | Some of the world's finest memories are testing their recall abilities at the UK Open Memory Championships in London. |
Twenty-six contestants from 11 countries are taking part in a number of disciplines in the two-day event. | Twenty-six contestants from 11 countries are taking part in a number of disciplines in the two-day event. |
In one of them, competitors will be given 10 minutes to learn the sequence of hundreds of playing cards. | In one of them, competitors will be given 10 minutes to learn the sequence of hundreds of playing cards. |
World champion Ben Pridmore, from Derby, holds the record in this event, having correctly memorised 364 cards. | World champion Ben Pridmore, from Derby, holds the record in this event, having correctly memorised 364 cards. |
He will be joined at the championships by the youngest competitor, 15-year-old Eva Ball from Coventry. | He will be joined at the championships by the youngest competitor, 15-year-old Eva Ball from Coventry. |
She won the UK's Schools Memory Championship last month, by recalling 94 numbers, 137 words, 12 events and dates, 102 binary numbers and nine shuffled playing cards in sequence. | She won the UK's Schools Memory Championship last month, by recalling 94 numbers, 137 words, 12 events and dates, 102 binary numbers and nine shuffled playing cards in sequence. |
Everything relies on memory and without it, we would have no language Christopher DayUK Open Memory Championships How a memory champ's brain works | Everything relies on memory and without it, we would have no language Christopher DayUK Open Memory Championships How a memory champ's brain works |
Christopher Day, general secretary for the championships, said this kind of skill has a very practical use. | Christopher Day, general secretary for the championships, said this kind of skill has a very practical use. |
"There's not one thing that we do as individuals that doesn't rely on memory. | "There's not one thing that we do as individuals that doesn't rely on memory. |
"Everything relies on memory and without it, we would have no language." | "Everything relies on memory and without it, we would have no language." |
Whether learning subjects for the school curriculum or trying to scale the career ladder, the better your memory the better your performance, he said. | Whether learning subjects for the school curriculum or trying to scale the career ladder, the better your memory the better your performance, he said. |
The third annual championships are sponsored by the online brain training website Cannyminds and hosted by the Strand Palace Hotel. | The third annual championships are sponsored by the online brain training website Cannyminds and hosted by the Strand Palace Hotel. |
As well as card sequences, contestants will have to learn random words, binary numbers, names and faces and decimal numbers. | As well as card sequences, contestants will have to learn random words, binary numbers, names and faces and decimal numbers. |
The competition is conducted in exam conditions, say organisers, with contestants simultaneously given papers depicting the sequences. | The competition is conducted in exam conditions, say organisers, with contestants simultaneously given papers depicting the sequences. |
After a set time, the papers are taken away and the contestants are asked to recall the sequence in the correct order. | After a set time, the papers are taken away and the contestants are asked to recall the sequence in the correct order. |