Berkeley Spring 2024

Paul Mahvi delivered a commanding performance in the 7x7x7 Cube final, laying down a winning average of 2:28.86 backed by a 2:26.15 single that set the standard for big-cube mastery. The grueling endurance required for the largest puzzles on the schedule demanded precision across hundreds of turns, and Mahvi met the challenge head-on. The one-day cubing competition gathered 74 competitors at the East Pauley Ballroom in Berkeley, California, USA on April 21, 2024, offering a rich program of six events and seven total rounds across a wide variety of disciplines.

Big cubes inherently test physical pacing, deep focus, and stamina, and the 6x6x6 Cube final proved just as tense as the 7x7x7 contest. Kevin Lee captured the 6x6x6 title with a 1:42.51 average, holding off An Le who finished in second place with 1:43.68 and Mahvi who took third with 1:43.87 in an exceptionally tight battle where little more than a second separated the top three. Lee also posted the fastest single of the event at 1:39.08. In the 7x7x7, Lee followed Mahvi onto the podium in second place at 2:46.63, while Le secured third with a 2:54.50 average.

The classic Rubik's Cube drew a field of 73 solvers, making it the most heavily contested discipline of the meet. Ethan Jan secured victory in the 3x3x3 Cube with a winning average of 6.93, also claiming the round's best single at 6.32. Mahvi continued his productive day by taking second place with an average of 7.64, while Richard Jay S. Apagar of the Philippines earned third with a 7.75 mark. The deep field produced intense pressure through every solve, as numerous competitors fought for every fraction of a second across the single round.

Beyond the podium race, the 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable depth throughout the lineup. Apagar delivered a single of 6.98 during his podium run, while Cameron Miller registered an average of 7.89 alongside a single of 7.53. Heidi Chan achieved a 7.99 average with a standout 6.50 single. Zerui Cheng logged an 8.05 average, Alexei Sinyavin finished with an 8.06 average, Keaton Ellis marked an 8.32 average, Amahl Weinstein Agrawal recorded an 8.46 average, and Zane Qureshi posted an 8.78 average, underscoring the high caliber of speedcubing on display.

Away from the top of the standings, several participants reached personal milestones that highlighted the depth of the event. Ramon Saldona Rincon dropped his 3x3x3 personal best to 15.56, a 37.1 percent improvement over his prior mark of 24.73, while also making his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 49.19. Jashan Pabla cut his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 30.9 percent to 15.02. Goodwin Liu improved his 3x3x3 Blindfolded best by 28.2 percent down to 4:28.87, and Luke Schauer lowered his One-Handed best by 22.9 percent to 42.68 while taking on Square-1 for the first time with a 22.25 single.

The progress continued across various events as competitors expanded their repertoires and set sharp new times. Amahl Weinstein Agrawal tackled six different events at Berkeley Spring 2024, trimming his Square-1 best by 23.9 percent to 36.18 and taking 23.8 percent off his 6x6x6 best with a 5:51.46. Henry Ferensen dropped his 3x3x3 personal best by 21.7 percent to 20.82. Colin Hartman made his first career official attempts in both Square-1 at 1:32.04 and the 6x6x6 Cube at 4:44.93, while Oscar Holzman-White shaved 8.2 percent off his 7x7x7 best to reach 7:07.54.

Specialist events also brought remarkable drama to the East Pauley Ballroom tables. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Anto Kam of Hong Kong took the top spot with a 10.52 average and a round-best 9.25 single, finishing ahead of Jan at 11.40 and Miller at 12.29. The 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline demanded absolute focus and memory, where David Karalli earned first place with a single of 24.16. Kam took second in the blindfolded event with 25.85, followed by Nolan Yiu in third with 33.75.

The two-round Square-1 event concluded with Calvin Nielson claiming victory on an average of 7.12, having also posted the competition's best single of 5.46. James Chea finished runner-up with an 8.20 average, and Miller completed the podium in 8.40. Across the day, competitors representing the United States claimed 15 podium positions, alongside two for Hong Kong and one for the Philippines, reflecting the broad international representation present throughout the rounds.

For new and returning participants alike, the gathering offered an ideal showcase of speed cubing excellence. Debutantes Elizabeth Sinyavin, Yating Han, Tucker Goularte, and Neil Barth each completed their first WCA competition appearances, contributing to a vibrant atmosphere of dedicated problem-solving. As the equipment was packed away and the tables cleared, Berkeley Spring 2024 concluded having delivered both high-stakes podium races and meaningful personal progression across every puzzle size.