Back To Tri-Cities 2024

Luke Tycksen delivered a decisive performance in the premier event at Back To Tri-Cities 2024, locking down the 3x3x3 Cube title with a 6.92 winning average and a lightning-fast 5.82 single solve. Across the single-day gathering, competitors from the United States controlled the podiums, capturing 14 of the 15 available top-three spots. From the first turn to the final round, the energy across all five disciplines reflected the depth of regional talent competing in the Pacific Northwest.

The cubing competition took place on January 20, 2024, at the First Baptist Church in Richland, Washington, USA. A field of 46 competitors stepped up to the solving tables across nine total rounds, taking on everything from the traditional Rubik's Cube to specialized twisty puzzles. The high concentration of domestic talent set a fierce standard across the brackets, leaving very little room on the podium for anyone else.

Tycksen doubled his gold count with a clinical showing in 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming first place with an 11.40 average and a best single solve of 8.66. Michael Lee took second place with a 14.10 average, while Caiden Lee secured third with 17.10, completing a clean United States sweep in the category. Tycksen's one-handed execution showed the same mechanical precision that carried him to the top of the standard three-by-three event earlier in the schedule.

Michael Lee enjoyed a standout campaign of his own, taking the title in the 2x2x2 Cube with a winning average of 2.76 and a best single of 2.19. That final was tightly contested, as Caiden Lee pushed close behind with a 2.94 average to take second place, and Adhiyan Kumaresan earned third on a 3.06 mark. Michael Lee also picked up podium hardware in two other events, finishing as the runner-up in one-handed and grabbing third place in Pyraminx with a 6.12 average.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several speed cubing contenders made massive strides. Declan Richardson chopped his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 9.97, an improvement of 53.5 percent over his prior mark of 21.42, alongside a 38.20 in his first ever attempt at Clock. Ian Ribail delivered a 43.3 percent improvement on his 2x2x2 Cube personal best with a time of 7.97, down from 14.05, while also recording a 39.26 personal best in 3x3x3. Seth Read knocked 37.8 percent off his Clock mark to set a 31.59 personal best and took 11th in Pyraminx. Daniel Hewitt set a Pyraminx personal best of 5.20, which was 32.6 percent faster than his previous best, on his way to an eighth-place finish.

Other competitors took on brand-new challenges with great determination during the WCA competition. Sam Dodge tackled his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a 6.54 solve and trimmed 31.2 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 3.24. Declan McCreight achieved an eighth-place finish in Clock after posting an 11.85 in his first official attempt at the puzzle, in addition to a 22.22 in his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed. Cyrus Paradis registered a 4.40 in his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube and reached 10th in Pyraminx. Colton Taranto made his first WCA competition appearance, taking on three events and securing a best finish of 27th in Pyraminx.

The Pyraminx event provided the only international podium presence of the day, with India's Akhvi Jay Octavius securing second place with an average of 5.87. However, the top spot stayed with the United States as Miles Goodman took the Pyraminx crown with a 5.42 average and a single solve of 4.70. Goodman's smooth flow through the tetrahedral puzzle gave him just enough margin over Octavius and Michael Lee to seal the victory.

Clock wrapped up the slate with another dominant sweep by American solvers. Jeremiah Rummerfield captured the victory with an 8.52 average, backed by a quick 7.11 single solve. Anishk Arora claimed the silver position with a 9.15 average, while Lucas Libed earned third place with 9.91. Libed's consistency also extended to the classic puzzle, where he picked up third place in the 3x3 results behind Tycksen and Michael Lee with an 8.20 average.

When the final timers stopped, Back To Tri-Cities 2024 proved to be an exceptional showcase of speedcubing mastery in Richland. The gathering highlighted veteran podium regulars alongside emerging solvers logging substantial personal records. With 14 podium places earned by United States competitors across five events, the local cubing community closed out the competition having set a high bar for the upcoming season.