A New Year in Auckland 2024

Dwyane Ramos delivered the definitive performance of the weekend in Auckland, New Zealand, logging a 6.96-second winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube to set the benchmark for the new season. Hosted at the Te Atatu Peninsula Community Centre from January 20 to January 21, A New Year in Auckland 2024 gathered 109 competitors across 24 rounds of action. The premier 3x3 results brought the crowd to attention as Ramos edged out Camerone Chin and Elyas Eyou to secure top honors in the headline event.

The 2x2x2 Cube rounds generated remarkable speed across the entire roster, highlighted by a flood of quick marks. Yuki Gao from China posted a standout 1.27 single and a 2.07 average, while Elyas Eyou recorded a 1.19 single on his way to claiming the event title with a 1.83 final average. Strong marks came in rapid succession from Dwyane Ramos, Ashley Foster, Jack Maddigan, Angela Braganza, Levi Eyou, Carol Chai, Jerry Jiang, and Xavier Courteau-Laing, underlining the intense pace that defined this cubing competition from start to finish.

Ramos proved to be the most prolific competitor of the weekend, securing multiple victories and high placements across several disciplines. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Ramos took first place with a 10.25 average and an 8.88 single, finishing ahead of Malaysia's Camerone Chin and New Zealand's Dennis Hu. Ramos also collected podium spots across the 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, Clock, and Skewb, cementing his status as an all-around contender in the 2024 speedcubing circuit.

Angela Braganza demonstrated absolute mastery in the big cube categories. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Braganza captured victory with a 28.80 average and a fast 23.24 single, leading a New Zealand podium sweep alongside Ramos and Carol Chai. Braganza followed up with another first-place finish in the 5x5x5 Cube, recording a winning average of 52.70 and a best single of 48.92 to stay well clear of the 34-competitor field.

Speed cubing at the venue also featured sharp performances in the specialist puzzles. Edwin Shen controlled the Clock competition, taking the win with a 3.47 average and a 2.97 single over Brandon Harris and Ramos. In Square-1, Camerone Chin earned a decisive gold for Malaysia with a 10.36 average, while Oscar McEvoy claimed the Skewb title with a 3.16 average. Elyas Eyou added another trophy to his tally by winning Pyraminx with a 1.75 average, capping an impressive multi-event showing.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones in the deeper brackets. Kun Er Zhang showed immense progress by cutting 67.5 percent off their Clock mark with a 10.70 personal best, while also taking fifth place in 4x4x4 Cube with a 29.34 time. Lucas Ablan made a first official attempt at Clock with a 27.65 result and improved his Pyraminx personal best by 50.6 percent to 9.64. Luca Evans slashed 48.3 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube standard down to 20.40 and entered his first Skewb round with a 13.25 solve. Taiga Kitamura also logged major improvements, dropping his Pyraminx mark by 46.4 percent to 5.54 and establishing a first Clock time of 15.32.

The breakthroughs continued across a wide variety of puzzle formats. Wrendhez Calix Martinez Miranda tackled seven events, finishing 11th in Skewb with a personal best of 2.74 that was 36.7 percent faster than before, alongside first attempts in Pyraminx and 2x2x2 Cube. Charlie Alderton entered eight events, posting a 45.49 personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed that was 34.4 percent quicker while logging debut times in Square-1 and Clock. Kieran Lightbody chopped 33 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark down to 5.82, while Atticus Cook completed a demanding schedule across eight events, logging first-ever results in Clock, Skewb, and Square-1.

The diverse schedule of nine events highlighted the rich depth of puzzle disciplines, ranging from the classic Rubik's Cube to specialized mechanical challenges like the Pyraminx and Square-1. New Zealand competitors earned 23 total podium positions across the tournament, with Malaysia taking three and China securing one. As the final rounds concluded at A New Year in Auckland 2024, the busy weekend proved to be an energetic and successful WCA competition to launch the new competitive year.