Barely Awake Boulder 2024

Jacob Nokes put on a masterclass at the Embassy Suites Boulder, delivering a sharp 7.30 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube alongside a weekend-best 7.05 single. The two-day tournament, held January 27 to January 28, 2024, brought 126 competitors together in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Across 13 events and 23 rounds, the hall remained a bustling hub of activity where participants shared tables, discussed scramble solutions, and traded tips between rounds.

While the main event determined the classic Rubik's Cube champion, the expansive schedule showcased the deep camaraderie of a modern cubing competition. Speedcubing enthusiasts cheered through early morning sessions and late-afternoon finals. Brayden Wroten claimed the runner-up spot in the 3x3 results with a 7.44 average, followed by Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel in third with an 8.18 average. The community gathered shoulder-to-shoulder throughout the weekend, celebrating personal milestones as enthusiastically as gold medals.

The tournament schedule catered to specialists and generalists alike, featuring everything from quick puzzles to grueling endurance tests. Jacob Nokes completed a remarkable sweep across the larger mechanisms, capturing titles in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 27.67 average, the 5x5x5 Cube with a 54.28 average, the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:34.88, and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:34.27 average. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Livia Kleiner took second place with a 57.03 average, while Brayden Wroten secured third at 1:02.36.

Sprint events provided rapid-fire action and drew massive fields. Brayden Wroten took victory in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.10 average, edging Jake Lee with a 2.48 average and Livia Kleiner with a 2.52 average. Brayden Wroten also topped the Skewb standings with a 2.50 winning average over David Brady with 3.78 and Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel with 4.07. Side puzzles sparked immense energy across the venue, highlighted by Kaemon Vita winning Clock in 4.63 seconds just ahead of Switzerland competitor Alex Moscibroda with 4.70 and Brayden Wroten with 4.85.

Beyond the podium battles, the spirit of this WCA competition shone brightest through participants taking on massive personal breakthroughs. Cole Stanton delivered monumental progress, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 7.82 seconds, a 58.4 percent drop from 18.79, while also improving his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 47.9 percent to 23.26 and making a first ever attempt at Clock with 49.66. Trevor Steiner slashed his Skewb best by 53.9 percent down to 7.63 seconds and logged his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 2:39.13 and 3x3x3 One-Handed with 1:30.42. Anne Peterson entered 12 events, earning a 23rd place finish in 7x7x7 Cube, recording a 2.76 in 2x2x2 Cube that was 47.5 percent faster than her previous best, and logging first attempts at 6x6x6 Cube in 3:55.95 and 7x7x7 Cube in 6:01.91. Rachel Joy Peterson took on 12 events as well, posting a 37.2 percent improvement in Square-1 with 34.50 while completing debut attempts in 6x6x6 Cube at 4:06.00 and 7x7x7 Cube at 6:46.51.

That passion for exploration was shared across the floor. Watney Bruso entered 10 events, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 36.7 percent to 6.35 seconds, finishing 31st in 7x7x7 Cube, and attempting Skewb with 14.11 and Megaminx with 3:51.79 for the first time. Cael Patrick Walsh also tackled 10 events, improving his Pyraminx personal best by 28.8 percent to 9.72 seconds alongside first attempts at 5x5x5 Cube in 4:35.11 and Megaminx in 3:54.70. Jacob Faulkner registered a 20.1 percent Pyraminx improvement to 5.83 seconds, reached 12th in 7x7x7 Cube across 10 events, and logged first attempts in Skewb with 12.99 and Square-1 with 1:49.47. Isaac Anderson competed across 9 events, achieving 40th in Square-1 and completing his first attempts at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:34.73, 3x3x3 One-Handed in 31.15, and Pyraminx in 4.90.

Alternative events rounded out the vibrant atmosphere. Livia Kleiner produced stellar performances across several formats, winning Pyraminx with a 2.57 average, 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 13.93 average, and Megaminx with a 49.41 average. In Square-1, Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel earned the top spot with an 11.32 average, while the precision of 3x3x3 Blindfolded saw David Karalli take first place with a single solve of 22.22 seconds, leading Jason Ostdiek at 53.68 and Brayden Wroten at 55.06.

The gathering in Boulder demonstrated how speed cubing thrives on shared dedication and collective encouragement. From intense big-cube marathons to casual practice circles between official stages, Barely Awake Boulder 2024 highlighted the diverse talents and welcoming environment of the Colorado cubing scene as competitors look ahead to the next stops of the 2024 season.