Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2024

Ninety competitors gathered in Waterloo, Iowa, USA on January 27, 2024, transforming the Courtyard Marriott Waterloo Cedar Falls into a vibrant hub of speedcubing community. Across twelve rounds of action in six distinct events, the floor buzzed with shared algorithms, casual practice groups between flights, and mutual encouragement. This single-day WCA competition highlighted both the intense technical demands of larger puzzles and the welcoming social atmosphere that defines competitive speed cubing.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube competition drew all 90 participants through three rigorous rounds. Brian Johnson captured the title by logging an impressive 7.04 winning average, anchored by a round-best 5.86 single solve. The chase for the remaining podium spots came down to razor-thin margins, with Nathan Phillips securing second place on an 8.00 average, edging Brody Rhoades who claimed third at 8.02. These decisive 3x3 results demonstrated world-class consistency across five consecutive solves in the final round.

Brian Johnson added a second victory to his ledger in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, navigating a field of 47 competitors over two rounds. Solving the standard Rubik's Cube with a single hand demands exceptional finger mechanics and control, and Johnson posted a winning average of 11.14 with a best single of 10.28. Simon Kellum followed closely in second place with an 11.90 average, while Nathan Phillips took third with 12.68.

The 2x2x2 Cube event presented another fast-paced contest across two rounds featuring 80 entrants. Carter Kucala took the top spot on the podium with a 2.01 winning average and a 1.17 single. Brian Johnson finished runner-up at 2.21, closely pursued by Simon Kellum, who completed the podium in third with a 2.23 average. The short scramble times and high-speed execution delivered some of the quickest resolutions seen across the competition floor.

Under-the-radar milestones formed the heartbeat of the gathering away from the main podiums. Mason Boots delivered one of the weekend highlights by trimming his personal best in 2x2x2 to 7.28, which was 65.4 percent faster than his prior mark, while also lowering his 3x3x3 best to 34.63, a 37.7 percent improvement. Jonah Taylor took on three disciplines and logged a 2.04 in 2x2x2, outperforming his previous best by 57.1 percent, alongside a first official 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:49.97. Ethan DeGroote shaved 55.4 percent off his 3x3x3 One-Handed best with a mark of 36.89, while Dylan Asikin-Garmager tackled 4x4x4 for the first time in 53.31 and cut his 2x2x2 personal best by 51.2 percent down to 4.29.

Other competitors took brave leaps into unfamiliar territory and extensive event schedules. Josian Turner competed across six different events, securing a 20th-place finish in 6x6x6 Cube with a first attempt of 5:28.45, making a first 4x4x4 attempt in 1:12.02, and improving his 5x5x5 personal best by 34.7 percent to 2:05.02. Dru Weimer entered six events as well, logging initial career attempts of 1:27.40 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and 6:36.44 in 6x6x6 Cube, while taking 23rd in 6x6x6. Griffin Pierce McMahon posted a first 4x4x4 effort of 1:47.96 and a first 5x5x5 solve of 3:45.44. Meanwhile, Quinn Mullikin marked a first-ever official tournament appearance by tackling four events, recording first marks of 1:54.91 in 4x4x4, 5.61 in 2x2x2, and 3:47.90 in 5x5x5.

Mid-range complexity took centre stage in the 4x4x4 Cube, which featured 60 solvers and concluded after two rounds. Brian Johnson claimed his third gold of the meet with a winning average of 28.92 and a 25.39 single. Ethan Cho finished in second place with a 32.45 average, while Carter Kucala rounded out the top three at 32.68 in a tightly contested final round.

The heaviest puzzles tested endurance and layered strategy in the big cube division. Ethan Cho swept the largest formats, starting with the 5x5x5 Cube, where he bested 33 competitors over two rounds with a 52.86 winning average and a 48.91 single. Nathan Phillips finished second with 56.57, and Brian Johnson earned third at 57.40. Cho duplicated his dominance in the single-round 6x6x6 Cube, defeating 24 entrants with a 1:36.31 average, followed again by Nathan Phillips at 1:40.24 and Carter Kucala at 1:52.34.

By the close of Big Cube Battle of Waterloo 2024, the full slate of twelve rounds had celebrated seasoned champions alongside emerging talents. With 18 podium spots earned by United States solvers and numerous personal records established across every category, the cubing competition provided an energetic platform for progress. As participants packed their puzzles and parted ways, the camaraderie built throughout the venue set a warm tone for the broader speedcubing calendar ahead.