ACM Programming Contest 1998

The 1998 ACM East Central Programming Contest was held on November 13-14, 1998 at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario. The top three teams at this competition were automatically entered in the World Finals, which were held in early April, 1999, in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. This was the 23rd annual competition, and was a rousing success for all involved.

The contest involves problem solving and programming. Teams were given eight problems, a computer, and five hours. The problems used in the 1998 Eastern Regionals are here.

York entered two teams at the 1998 competition, York Gold and York Red. The York Gold team placed 42nd, while the York Red team placed 49th (out of 93 teams). The contest was won by Waterloo -- the eventual winners of the World Finals in the Netherlands -- while teams from Carnegie-Mellon and the University of Toronto came second and third.

The members of the two York teams were:

Claude Martins, an M.Sc candidate in the department of Computer Science, coached the York Red team. Prof. Richard Paige was the coach of the York Gold team.

Both teams should be congratulated on their showing in the contest, and for their enthuasism, both on the day of the contest and in the weeks of practice leading up to it. The contest weekend was both tense (the contest problems were difficult!) and enjoyable (the banquet and the related social activities were fun).

Upon arrival at Waterloo, everyone gets a present: yo-yos. Jay, Phil, and Rich express their enthusiasm for the gifts. There were only minor injuries.

The practice session the evening before the contest. Rich, Mouse, and Phil are starting to show signs of letting the stress get to them.

About half an hour before the contest, early morning. Both teams, and Jay, pose with the team mascot, a blue recycling bin. Only the most picturesque locations for our photos!

During the contest. Ben, Andrei, and Liban take a break to think about what they've gotten in to.

``The contest is over! I survived! I survived!'' Rich, a veteran of several ACM contests, celebrates in his traditional manner.

The contest banquet, with all the culprits. Claude makes his only appearance in the photos. The question on everyone's mind: ``When do they bring out the drinks?''