Ashfield Winter Open 2024

Charles Amarello delivered a masterclass in single-arm dexterity at Ashfield Town Hall, taking the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a 13.09 winning average and a crisp single of 11.31. The event requires immaculate fingertable ergonomics and calculated lookahead, punishing the slightest slip of grip. Amarello navigated the sixteen-player field with poise, holding off Levi Gibson, who secured second place at 14.60, and Christopher Landgrebe, who took third with a 14.80 average. It was a clinic in turning efficiency that set the competitive tone for the day.

Held on November 30, 2024, the Ashfield Winter Open 2024 brought 22 competitors together in Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA for a packed day of speedcubing action. Across eight distinct disciplines and twelve total rounds, the regional cubing competition provided plenty of drama on the timers. The classic 3x3x3 Cube contest stood at the center of the schedule, where three competitive rounds narrowed down the field of twenty solvers in a tightly contested fight for the podium.

Elijah Rain Phelps ultimately clinched the premier 3x3x3 Cube title, putting together a winning average of 7.85 alongside the day best single of 6.32. The margin at the top of the 3x3 results was razor thin, as Charles Amarello took second place with a 7.95 average, edging out Chris Chi, who claimed third at 8.03. Phelps also showcased remarkable dexterity on the Square-1, winning the event with a 9.22 average and an eye-catching 5.64 single, while Christopher Landgrebe followed in second with 10.41 and Levi Gibson took third with 10.94.

Chris Chi proved to be a dominant presence across multiple formats throughout the weekend, capturing titles in two major events. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Chi claimed victory with a rapid 1.77 average ahead of Levi Gibson at 2.05 and Elijah Rain Phelps at 2.46. Chi returned to the top step in the 5x5x5 Cube, registering a winning average of 1:00.72 and a 59.72 single to edge out Margot Audero at 1:07.73 and Phelps at 1:08.71, demonstrating adaptability on both small and large mechanical puzzles.

Beyond the podium battles, the floor saw remarkable individual leaps from competitors pushing their limits. Tyler Anderlonis cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 6.92 from 13.12, an improvement of 47.3 percent, while also lowering his 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube mark to 30.98. Matthew Isabella tackled seven events, setting a Square-1 personal best of 22.41, which was 18.3 percent faster than his prior mark, while also recording his first ever attempts at Clock at 12.18 and 5x5x5 Cube at 1:53.14. Tess Weinstock achieved a Megaminx personal best of 1:17.10, cutting 12.9 percent off her previous record and securing a ninth-place finish.

The progress continued across the venue as Seth Hayashida registered a 3.13 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube alongside a 1:26.00 mark in 5x5x5 Cube across five events. Nathan Kon took on seven events, recording a 54.51 personal best in 4x4x4 Cube and a 10.63 in Clock. Rohan Hurd-Iyer improved his 3x3x3 Cube best to 16.95, while first-time WCA competition entrant Elliot Hockle logged initial official marks across four events, including a 26.93 in 3x3x3 Cube and a 2:46.41 in 4x4x4 Cube. Fellow debutant Zeya Wen (文泽亚) entered three events, setting an initial 3x3x3 Cube single of 20.89 and placing 15th in One-Handed with a 47.20 attempt.

The remaining puzzle categories highlighted the depth of speed cubing talent in western Massachusetts. Margot Audero captured the 4x4x4 Cube title with a smooth 35.75 average, holding off Chris Chi at 36.30 and Elijah Rain Phelps at 37.30. In the Megaminx event, Saisabari Ramesh solved through the twelve-sided puzzle to take first place with a 55.09 average and a single of 51.73, finishing ahead of Chi and Phelps in second and third respectively.

Angelo Terpening rounded out the champions list by winning the Clock event, producing an average of 4.88 and a 4.38 single to finish in front of Brandon Villadolid at 5.75 and Chris Chi at 6.14. The Ashfield Winter Open 2024 concluded having tested competitors across every turn style, from two-handed efficiency to single-handed precision, leaving the local scene with plenty of momentum heading into the winter calendar.