Berkeley November Weekday Tricubealon 2024

Inside Hearst Field Annex B5 on the campus in Berkeley, California, USA, the rhythmic clack of plastic mechanisms echoed through the hall as competitors settled into their stations. Timers flickered to green across rows of judging mats, and judges stood attentive with clipboards ready. The single-day gathering brought a focused energy to the Bay Area as solvers gathered for a compact program of high-level puzzle solving, all eager to post fast times under official conditions.

The 2024 speedcubing calendar featured plenty of intense battles, but the Berkeley November Weekday Tricubealon 2024 offered a uniquely concentrated challenge. Across three classic disciplines and six total rounds of action, 24 competitors took to the tables on November 18, 2024. Speed cubing enthusiasts were treated to rapid solving across the day, with every entrant seeking clean executions and podium contention in an efficient weekday format.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event served as the centerpiece of the meet, featuring 23 competitors across two competitive rounds. In the final, Ethan Jan delivered a stunning sequence of solves to take the overall victory with a winning average of 7.05 seconds. Jan set the benchmark early and maintained his form, posting a best single of 6.45 seconds in the final round to solidify top honors in the marquee Rubik's Cube category.

Challengers pushed the pace in the 3x3 results, keeping the title race close right down to the final solves. Calix Tang earned second place on the podium with a solid average of 7.66 seconds, highlighted by a sharp 5.92 single earlier in the event. James Chea took the third spot on the podium by clocking a 7.68 average, just two hundredths of a second behind Tang, alongside a 7.13 single.

Away from the top of the podium, several solvers delivered major breakthroughs that highlighted the depth of the field. Benjamin Chen entered two events and made one of the day's biggest leaps, lowering his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best to 18.50 seconds, a massive 20.4 percent improvement from his prior mark of 23.24. Emmett O'Leary-Liu also made significant gains with one hand, taking on three events and cutting his personal best by 8 percent to 20.85 seconds. First-time milestones were abundant as well. Callan McEvilly stepped up for their first WCA competition and recorded a 34.80 single in their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube, while Diego Jiashu Jiang took on three events and logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 26.68 single.

Other competitors made their presence felt across the bracket with sharp executions and standout placements. Zane Qureshi entered one event and dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 4.2 percent to 11.94 seconds, while Heidi Chan achieved a personal best of 9.70 in the same event on her way to a fourth-place finish. Stephen Huan took on two events and locked in a sixth-place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube, and Vivek Verma secured an eighth-place finish in the main event across his two entered categories. These performances brought memorable milestones across the competition floor.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed discipline also brought fireworks across two rounds of play among 18 competitors. Zhouheng Sun captured the event title with a winning average of 9.29 seconds and an outstanding single of 8.16 seconds. Anto Kam secured second place with an average of 9.95 seconds, while Ethan Jan returned to the podium once more by taking third place with a 10.58 average.

The technical challenge wrapped up with the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where 13 competitors tackled the memorization and execution test over two rounds. James Chea took the top spot with a winning single of 43.16 seconds. Zhouheng Sun followed in second place with a time of 56.37 seconds, and Rithwik Gupta rounded out the podium in third place with a time of 1:08.72.

With six podium spots claimed by the United States, two by China, and one by Hong Kong, the Berkeley November Weekday Tricubealon 2024 concluded a memorable day of racing. The efficient schedule at Hearst Field Annex B5 showcased both elite execution at the top and vital personal breakthroughs down the roster, sending solvers home with fresh momentum for the upcoming competition season.