A Saturday in Ashfield 2024

Inside the cozy rooms of a private residence tucked away in the winter scenery of Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA, timers clicked steadily as a close-knit field of eleven competitors gathered on December 28, 2024. The intimate setting created an intense focus across every solving station, with judges leaning in close to inspect each move. Stacks of twisted puzzles lined the tables, and the brisk cadence of rapid hand movements set the tone for an energetic day of speedcubing. The local atmosphere offered an ideal stage for top talent to thrive in a high-stakes, small-room environment.

The standout performer of the competition was Elijah Rain Phelps, who delivered an extraordinary showing on home soil. Phelps claimed victory in four of the eight contested events, setting the standard across several major disciplines. In the signature 3x3x3 Cube event, Phelps posted a decisive winning average of 8.33 seconds and a best single time of 6.29 seconds to take the top spot. Ethan Mai secured second place with an average of 8.92 seconds, while Ethan Zhuang rounded out the podium in third with an average of 9.37 seconds as the 3x3 results drew strong interest.

Phelps carried that sharp momentum directly into the 3x3x3 One-Handed event at A Saturday in Ashfield 2024. Handling the classic Rubik's Cube with just a single hand, Phelps captured the title with a winning average of 13.48 seconds and a top single of 13.12 seconds. Ethan Zhuang placed second with a mark of 16.25 seconds, while Syndey Zhou completed the podium positions in third place with a 17.41 average. The victory reinforced Phelps as a versatile threat capable of maintaining consistency under different solving restrictions.

The larger puzzle events also belonged entirely to Phelps, who conquered the 4x4x4 Cube competition with a dominant 33.05 average and a blistering single of 29.04 seconds. Ethan Mai followed in second place with an average of 41.21, edging out Ethan Zhuang, who took third in 41.61. Phelps then capped off a personal sweep by winning Square-1 with an impressive average of 8.54 seconds and a single solve of 7.42 seconds. Ethan Zhuang took second at 12.58 seconds, while Australia representative Oscar Liang claimed third place with a 26.21 average.

Beyond the title sweeps at the top of the standings, the day brought meaningful individual breakthroughs across the field. Jacob Carubia tackled all eight events on the schedule, achieving a 5th place finish in Pyraminx and setting notable personal records, including a 22.20 in Square-1 that was 30.4 percent faster than his previous mark of 31.91, alongside a 53.00 in 4x4x4 Cube that was 9.4 percent faster than his previous best of 58.53. Meanwhile, Ian Kim made great strides across his two events, clocking a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.27 seconds, an improvement of 6.6 percent over his old 3.50, and a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.75 seconds, which improved by 3.7 percent upon his earlier 13.24 best.

Short-format puzzles provided high drama as Ethan Zhuang earned two well-deserved victories. In Clock, Zhuang posted a winning average of 4.17 seconds, highlighted by a single of 3.17 seconds, to finish ahead of Phelps at 4.70 and Mai at 6.75. Zhuang struck again in Skewb, taking first place with an average of 3.76 seconds and a best single of 3.08. Phelps took the runner-up spot with a 4.26 average, while Clem Tucker earned third place with a 5.66 mark during an exciting display of speed cubing agility.

The 2x2x2 Cube event saw Ethan Mai capture top honors with a polished winning average of 2.15 seconds and a best single of 1.44 seconds over two rounds of competition. Ethan Zhuang took second place on the podium with a 2.45 average, while Josh Sanderson finished third with a 2.70 average. The Pyraminx final proved equally swift, with Clem Tucker securing first place thanks to a winning average of 2.16 seconds and a fast single of 0.94 seconds, beating out Phelps in second at 3.06 and Luciano James Capuano in third at 3.85.

With 14 total rounds completed across eight diverse events, A Saturday in Ashfield 2024 provided a masterclass in focused, small-venue competition. The United States claimed twenty-three podium places while Australia secured one, highlighting the breadth of skill assembled in western Massachusetts. As the year 2024 wound to a close, this WCA competition proved that elite speed and fierce competitive spirit thrive in any environment where dedicated solvers meet to test their limits on the clock.