Albuquerque Cubefest 2024

Braden Richards delivered a masterclass across multiple disciplines on November 16, 2024, winning four separate events to lead the charge at Albuquerque Cubefest 2024. Held at the Netherwood Park Church of Christ in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, the single-day gathering tested solvers across an unusually diverse rotation of mechanisms. Richards secured the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a winning average of 8.93 seconds, topping a competitive final round to cap off an intense slate of 11 rounds across six distinct categories of official puzzle solving.

The range of events brought an exciting dynamic to the tournament floor, shifting rapidly between traditional cubes and distinctive twisty challenges. Solvers rotated from the multi-layered complexity of the Megaminx and the dual-sided turning of Clock to the sharp geometry of the Pyraminx and large cubic puzzles like the 4x4x4 Cube. Across every round, the wide variety required competitors to adapt their dexterity and lookahead quickly. A total of 55 competitors gathered to measure their skills in the vibrant cubing competition, making the most of a dense schedule.

Richards proved unshakeable across the diverse roster, taking victories in four different events. Alongside his top-tier 3x3 results, which included the day's best single solve of 7.07 seconds, he triumphed in the 4x4x4 Cube final with an average of 32.18 seconds and a single of 28.67 seconds. In the shorter sprints, Richards also dominated, recording an average of 2.78 seconds to claim the 2x2x2 Cube title before closing out the Pyraminx event with a winning 3.83-second average, demonstrating remarkable range across mechanical styles.

Beyond the multi-event sweep by Richards, the specialized formats delivered great podium battles. In Clock, Miles Walcott navigated the 14-dial puzzle with exceptional precision, capturing first place with a winning average of 4.75 seconds and a rapid single of 4.46 seconds. Walcott finished ahead of Trenton Cuzick, who took second with an average of 5.82 seconds, and Kian Cline, who stepped onto the podium in third at 6.92 seconds. The clock contest tested fine motor control and turning accuracy over 22 eager participants.

The dodecahedral Megaminx provided another demanding test of endurance and visual tracking across its twelve colored faces. Evan Wilson captured the event victory with a stellar average of 56.15 seconds, highlighted by the day's fastest single effort of 53.37 seconds. Mason Langenderfer secured the runner-up spot with an average of 58.38 seconds, while Richards completed the top three with an average of 1:00.18. Langenderfer also demonstrated fantastic consistency throughout the day, claiming second place in both the 3x3x3 Cube and 4x4x4 Cube divisions.

Away from the top steps of the podium, the tournament served up personal milestones for solvers testing their skills across multiple disciplines. John Villa entered six events and finished sixth in Clock, logging a first career Megaminx result of 1:17.98, a debut Clock mark of 7.31, and a Pyraminx personal best of 2.78 seconds that was 39.7 percent faster than his prior best. Caleb Dye registered an impressive 51.12-second single on the 4x4x4 Cube to slash 36.2 percent off his benchmark, alongside initial attempts in Pyraminx with a 9.26 and Megaminx with a 1:48.80. Kyan Krenik completed a full six-event program, notching a 6.74 in Pyraminx for a 48.3 percent improvement and a debut Clock time of 18.62.

Breakthrough solves continued throughout the field as Michael Brown dropped his Rubik's Cube best to 19.80 seconds, an improvement of 47.7 percent, while logging a first Pyraminx result of 10.54. Joshua James Goesling took on six events and earned 11th in Clock, setting personal bests of 8.91 in Clock and 5.21 in Pyraminx alongside a first 4x4x4 Cube solve of 1:13.60. Bennett Spiva took 30.3 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube best with a 6.68 and recorded a debut 6.96 on Pyraminx. First-time WCA competition entrant Leon Gabrielle P. Villaraza tackled five events, highlighted by a 1:05.99 in the 4x4x4 Cube and a 16th-place finish in Clock, while fellow debutant Samantha Rumbaoa placed ninth in Clock with a 9.01 and registered a 15.89 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The fast-paced action at Albuquerque Cubefest 2024 showed the depth of the local speedcubing scene, with competitors from the USA filling all 18 podium spots across the schedule. The variety of formats demanded versatility from seasoned medalists and newcomers alike, creating memorable races in every bracket. As the speed cubing circuit moves into future stops, the memorable marks and multi-discipline performances established in Albuquerque set a high bar for the months ahead.