A Sunday in Ashfield 2024

Ten competitors converged for a packed slate of eight events across twelve rounds, proving how rapidly dedicated solvers continue to accelerate their times. Held on December 29, 2024, at a private residence in Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA, the gathering provided an intimate backdrop for high-level speed cubing. With an emphasis on young and ascending talent, the competition showcased solvers pushing their limits on everything from the traditional Rubik's Cube to intricate twelve-sided puzzles, delivering memorable finishes from the morning heats to the late-afternoon finales.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest produced exceptional drama across two complete rounds of speedcubing. Nguyễn Đỗ Hoàng Giang secured victory in the final with a blistering 7.59 winning average, backed by a best single solve of 7.27 seconds. Daniel Gutierrez pushed hard to take second place with a 7.92 average, having posted a 7.09 single earlier in the weekend. Cameron Soulagnet rounded out the podium in third with an 8.37 average. The dense collection of top-tier 3x3 results underlined just how much the standard has jumped among regular contenders.

Cameron Soulagnet established early dominance in the intermediate big cube events, taking top honors in both 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube. In the 4x4x4 final, Soulagnet claimed gold with a 29.28 average and a 23.78 single, narrowly edging Jeffrey Li who posted a 29.46 average for second place. Nguyễn Đỗ Hoàng Giang took third with 32.93. Soulagnet then led the 5x5x5 Cube field with a 49.75 winning average and a 47.28 single, besting Nguyễn Đỗ Hoàng Giang at 58.00 and Li at 59.37 to complete an impressive double victory.

Jeffrey Li responded with a remarkable run across the remaining disciplines, capturing three separate titles during A Sunday in Ashfield 2024. In the 6x6x6 Cube single-round event, Li won with a 1:32.39 average and a 1:26.03 single, holding off Soulagnet who finished at 1:35.03. Li repeated the feat on 7x7x7 Cube, posting a 2:05.91 average to lead Soulagnet's 2:33.91. Li later earned top honors on Square-1, recording a 10.21 average and a best single of 9.44 seconds to finish ahead of Alex Cohen and Joey Mait.

Specialty puzzles brought additional variety to the schedule, with Daniel Gutierrez and Jasper Wolfe-Tham capturing major wins. Gutierrez handled the Megaminx with poise, delivering a 49.06 average and a 44.64 best single to take first place over Jeffrey Li and Joey Mait. In the Clock event, Jasper Wolfe-Tham set the standard by securing victory with a sharp 4.29 average and a 2.99 single solve. The win placed Wolfe-Tham ahead of Li, who finished second with an 8.90 average, and Cohen, who secured third place.

Beyond the trophy battles, personal breakthroughs defined the spirit of the day away from the top steps. Lê Thành Vinh put together a massive performance across six events, cutting his Clock personal best down to 10.09 seconds to finish 29 percent faster, improving his 5x5x5 best to 1:02.49 for a 16.1 percent jump, trimming his 6x6x6 best to 2:26.40, and securing a fourth-place finish in Clock. Charles Amarello entered five events, recording a high finish of fourth place in the 3x3x3 Cube, while Michael Amarello entered Clock to earn fifth place with steady execution.

The overall medal distribution reflected a competitive exchange between national delegations. United States competitors secured nineteen podium positions on home soil, while Vietnam accounted for five podium finishes courtesy of standout displays across both small and large puzzles. Every entrant on the roster played an active part in shaping the intensity of this focused WCA competition, demonstrating the remarkable depth that exists even within smaller, highly specialized brackets.

When the final solves concluded at A Sunday in Ashfield 2024, the day had proven that rapid improvement remains the hallmark of the modern circuit. Solvers departed Ashfield having tested themselves against demanding standards, shared technical insights, and rewritten their personal benchmarks across a full calendar of eight distinct events. As the speedcubing community looks ahead to the upcoming season, the fast marks recorded in western Massachusetts set a high bar for what lies ahead.