Arizona Mini 2024

Jeremy Bulambot turned in a commanding performance on November 16, 2024, stopping the clock at a blazing 1.91 average to capture the 2x2x2 Cube title in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The rapid-fire victory set the tone for an explosive day of speedcubing at Bear Down Gym. With 36 competitors gathered across four varied events, the action moved at a breakneck pace through six total rounds of play, delivering high drama in the shortest formats of the sport.

The sprint puzzles took center stage throughout the one-day WCA competition, beginning with the 2x2x2 Cube where Bulambot produced a best single of 1.50 alongside his sub-two-second winning average. Behind him, TJ Hayward took second place with an average of 2.62, while Kellan Kight secured third place at 3.35. The event featured a total of 32 contenders across two rigorous rounds, highlighting the intense precision required when fractions of a second decide the podium.

Bulambot carried that rapid momentum straight into the classic Rubik's Cube, completing a golden double in the main event. In the 3x3x3 Cube final, he locked down first place with a 6.11 average and delivered the fastest single solve of the entire tournament at 5.97. Ishmael Glover claimed the runner-up spot with an 8.41 average, while Oliver Breecher finished third with an average of 9.36. The 3x3 results confirmed Bulambot as the dominant speed cubing force in Tucson this year.

Away from the standard cubes, the side events provided distinct technical challenges and fresh champions. In the Skewb final, Kellan Kight clinched top honors with an average of 5.23 and a best single of 4.29, leading a field of 23 competitors. Ryan Morrison followed closely in second place with a 6.04 average, and Kevin Li took third at 6.25. The corner-turning puzzle required sharp finger dexterity and quick recognition across its single round of competition.

The mechanical dials of Clock brought further variety to Bear Down Gym, drawing 20 competitors into an intricate battle. Thien Phan mastered the pins and wheels to earn first place with a 7.67 average and a 7.36 single solve. Kellan Kight took his third podium spot of the day by securing second place with an 8.48 average, while Jeremy Bulambot rounded out his productive day by taking third place with a 9.36 average.

Beyond the championship podiums, the cubing competition saw dramatic breakthroughs from several determined competitors across the schedule. Jessica Wade delivered an enormous breakthrough in Skewb, cutting her personal best down to 6.99, which improved upon her prior mark by 60.2 percent, alongside taking on all four events. Owen Frank also made huge strides on Skewb, setting a new personal best of 6.11 that was 53.1 percent faster than before, while also recording a first ever attempt at Clock with a time of 29.18. Joshua Melton slashed his Skewb best by 39.6 percent to 8.05 and notched a first Clock attempt of 44.75, while Micah Lozano dropped his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 38.3 percent to 4.68.

The progression continued through the lower ranks as Jasper Torrance lowered his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.70, an improvement of 36.5 percent. Sawyer Mangum-Bartholomew took on four events, achieving a best finish of 6th place in 2x2x2 Cube while cutting his best solve in the event down to 2.81, which was 29.8 percent faster than his past record. Ethan Jay Adams reached 4th place in Clock while posting a Skewb personal best of 5.49, a 27.7 percent drop. Making his tournament debut, Liam Waggle took on four events at his first WCA competition, recording a best finish of 15th place in Clock alongside his first ever attempt in the 3x3x3 Cube at 46.01.

With all twelve podium placements claimed by United States competitors, Arizona Mini 2024 concluded as a showcase of elite sprint solving and broad personal progress. From the sub-six single solves in the main event to the multitude of personal bests recorded across the gym, the one-day gathering captured the full energy of modern competitive speedcubing as the community looks ahead to the next season.