Algs in Ankeny 2024

A blistering 7.41 second winning average on the 3x3x3 Cube by Brody Rhoades set the gold standard in Iowa, capping a day defined by fast hands and rapidly accelerating talent. The Holiday Inn Express and Suites hosted ninety-seven competitors on March 9, 2024, creating an electric setting for the one-day gathering. Young solvers and seasoned contenders met across five diverse disciplines, generating ten full rounds of high-pressure puzzle solving. The event captured the essence of modern speedcubing, where personal milestones arrive at a furious pace.

The 3x3 results at Algs in Ankeny 2024 demonstrated how steep the talent curve has become in regional competition. Ninety-six entrants took on the classic Rubik's Cube across three demanding rounds, but Rhoades controlled the pace from the start. He registered a tournament-best single of 6.82 seconds to accompany his 7.41 final average for the USA. Nathan Rahn secured the runner-up spot with an 8.98 average, while Josh Crook captured third place with an average of 9.35 seconds, completing an all-American podium.

Josh Crook emerged as one of the most versatile athletes of the gathering, claiming two distinct titles through explosive turning speed and sharp consistency. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Crook outpaced fifty-one rivals across two rounds, taking the victory with an average of 32.52 seconds alongside an eye-catching single of 25.27 seconds. Rhoades followed closely in second with a 34.14 average, and Marcus Zook took third at 38.54. Crook then doubled his gold medal haul in Pyraminx, leading a seventy-seven competitor field with a 2.68 winning average and a single solve of 2.56 seconds.

The pyramid-shaped puzzle provided a tight contest, as Nathan Rahn locked in second place behind Crook with a 3.05 average and Chris Van Der Brink collected third place in 3.43 seconds. That silver finish was merely one part of a busy and fruitful day for Rahn, who demonstrated masterful efficiency across non-standard formats. When the competitors stepped up for the single round of Square-1, Rahn took total command of the twenty-seven person bracket, delivering an unmatched 7.81 winning average and a sub-five single of 4.95 seconds.

The remainder of the Square-1 podium saw Marcus Zook claim silver with an average of 13.65 seconds, followed by Brody Rhoades in bronze medal position at 16.66 seconds. The Skewb tournament added further drama to the schedule, featuring fifty-six competitors across two rounds. Eddie Szuster climbed to the top step of the podium, capturing first place with a 3.66 average and a 3.15 single. Zook earned another silver medal with a 4.09 average, while Boyd Mayfield claimed third place with a 4.38 mark.

Beyond the top podium steps, the heart of the cubing competition lived in the massive performance leaps made by emerging competitors across the floor. Ben Fischer assembled a remarkable slate of personal milestones across five entered events, dropping his Pyraminx personal best to 2.93 seconds, which was 66.4 percent faster than his prior mark. Fischer also slashed his 4x4x4 personal best by 37.8 percent to 41.29 seconds and achieved an 11.00 second best on 3x3. Meanwhile, Shawn Doyle logged five events, cutting his Skewb best by 51.4 percent to 5.46 seconds. Conner Timperley took on four events, completing his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:42.99, his first Skewb attempt in 18.33, and improving his 3x3 personal best to 28.62 seconds, a 43 percent improvement.

Several athletes seized the day to tackle brand new puzzles on the official stage. Jonah Taylor entered all five events, securing a 15th-place finish in Pyraminx with a personal best of 5.43 seconds that was 39 percent faster than before, while logging a first official Square-1 solve of 48.99. Cameron Roundy dropped his 3x3 personal best by 37.3 percent down to 25.19 seconds and completed his first official attempts in Skewb and Pyraminx. Andrew C. Liu improved his 3x3 best by 32.1 percent to 21.21 seconds and made his first official Pyraminx attempt in 15.07 seconds. Tanner James Drapeaux logged four events, recording his first official attempts in Skewb, 4x4x4, and Pyraminx, while Ara Stilwell earned a 13th-place finish in 3x3 and logged maiden attempts in Skewb, 4x4x4, and Pyraminx.

The competitive atmosphere throughout Ankeny, Iowa, USA served as a testament to the surging enthusiasm surrounding modern speed cubing. United States competitors locked down all fifteen available podium places, demonstrating deep national talent across every rotation. With ninety-seven athletes testing their limits across ten total rounds, Algs in Ankeny 2024 proved to be an unforgettable showcase of young puzzle solvers making tremendous strides in their craft. As each official solve entered the ledger, the standard for the upcoming season was pushed that much higher.