Berwick Spring 2024

Carson Widjaja set the pace in Berwick, Pennsylvania, USA, securing victory in the premier 3x3x3 Cube event with a 6.57 winning average and a lightning-fast best single of 4.70. Held at Saint Mary's Church on May 18, 2024, the tournament brought together 45 competitors for a concentrated slate of speedcubing across five classic disciplines. While standard solves reward pure mechanical fluidity, the focus demanded across the nine total rounds echoed the quiet precision of blindfolded solving, where flawless memorisation and complete mental discipline determine every turning phase.

The one-day WCA competition showcased a demanding schedule spanning five varied disciplines, drawing solvers from across the region to test their preparation on the official stage. Widjaja asserted control early in the 3x3x3 Cube contest, which featured three rounds and a full field of 45 entrants. In the final, Livia Kleiner took second place with an average of 8.64, while Benjamin Wiginton earned third place with a 9.14 mark. The standard Rubik's Cube division delivered exceptional depth, generating strong 3x3 results across the board.

Beyond the flagship puzzle, the 4x4x4 Cube contest saw Widjaja claim a second title at Berwick Spring 2024. Navigating the 37-player field in a direct final, Widjaja recorded a 29.91 winning average alongside a tournament-best single of 27.84. Kleiner secured the runner-up spot with a 31.62 average, while Zach Ridall rounded out the podium positions in third place with a time of 37.15 seconds, proving steady through the intricate center-building and edge-pairing steps.

Kleiner added a major victory of her own in Skewb, topping a field of 33 solvers through two competitive rounds. Delivering a winning average of 3.41 and a best single of 2.77 in the final, Kleiner outpaced Ridall, who took second with an average of 4.33. Eli Ozsvath took third place on the podium with a 5.44 mark, completing a showcase of rapid corner orientation and efficient mechanical execution.

The Clock event delivered razor-thin margins as Benjamin Wiginton secured top honors among 38 competitors across two rounds. Wiginton posted a winning average of 4.69 along with the best single solve of the event at 3.82. Rafik Eskandar of Egypt finished in the second position with an average of 6.28, while Sula Mareska secured third with 6.44. The international podium highlight reflected the precise pin manipulation required on the two-sided circular puzzle.

In the Megaminx division, Declan Wilhelm mastered the twelve-sided challenge across a 28-competitor single round. Wilhelm claimed the victory with a 41.01 winning average and a best single of 39.05, maintaining control across the extensive piece count. Kleiner collected another podium finish by taking second place with an average of 45.51, while Ryan Krause achieved third place with a time of 58.49 seconds.

Beyond the trophy battles, numerous competitors achieved major individual milestones across the tables. Isaias Callirgos took on four events and delivered a massive Clock personal best of 12.45, improving by 56.8 percent over a previous mark of 28.83, alongside an individual best of 1:29.33 in the 4x4x4 Cube. Evan McDevitt entered five events and recorded a Skewb personal best of 4.19 to improve by 39.5 percent, alongside a Megaminx time of 1:42.05 that was 30.7 percent faster than before. Carter Strouse took fifth place in Clock with a personal best of 6.33, improved their Skewb mark by 35.7 percent to 5.16, and completed a first career Megaminx attempt in 2:30.97. Michael Miloslavskiy registered a 29.5 percent improvement in Megaminx with a 1:18.39 personal best and dropped their Skewb mark to 4.63.

Other solvers expanded their repertoires with fresh events and rapid progress. Ben Stier dropped their Skewb best to 5.63, a 30.5 percent reduction, while also achieving personal records in Clock at 17.06 and 4x4x4 Cube at 53.43. Wilson Dawson posted a Clock personal best of 5.99, cutting 34.4 percent from their previous record, and placed tenth in 3x3x3 Cube. Kellan Corley tackled five events, completing a first official Clock attempt in 8.85, a first 4x4x4 Cube solve in 1:03.24, and a first Skewb result of 7.52. First-time tournament attendee Jonathan Braverman made successful debut attempts across three events, logging 28.56 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 17.52 in Clock, and 7.73 in Skewb.

The gathering in Berwick highlighted the broad spectrum of speed cubing talent across eastern Pennsylvania. United States solvers earned fourteen podium places, joined by Egypt on the Clock podium. Across five events and nine rounds, the competition provided both seasoned competitors and first-time entrants with an ideal venue to showcase their problem-solving speed, bringing an eventful day of puzzle solving to a triumphant conclusion as the cubing competition circuit looks forward to the next season.