Brisbane Summer 2024

Inside the Morayfield Sport & Events Centre across the weekend of February 3 to February 4, the atmosphere was charged with focus as timers flashed green. Across 19 rounds of intense competition, 205 solvers gathered in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to put their skills to the test. Every table was occupied with stacks of puzzles, inspection timers, and scorecards as competitors pushed for regional glory and personal milestones across eight distinct disciplines in the 2024 speedcubing calendar.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube final delivered unmatched tension across four rounds of play. Toby Seufert maintained exceptional composure in the deciding solves to post a winning average of 6.41 seconds, backed by a blistering best single of 5.17 seconds. His late-round precision held off a fierce international challenge from Yibo Wang of China, who finished in second place with an average of 7.06 seconds, and New Zealand solver Chris Mills, who secured third place on the podium with an average of 7.14 seconds.

In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Guanbo Wang dominated the field of 173 competitors across three rounds. Wang took the title with a swift 1.48 second average and a best single of 1.25 seconds. Australia claimed the remaining podium places in the event, with Jayden McNeill securing second place with an average of 1.65 seconds, followed closely by Lachlan Adams-Romyn in third place with a 2.27 second average.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed event tested ergonomic precision across three rounds, drawing 100 competitors. Nicholas Paul captured victory with a decisive winning average of 10.07 seconds and a tournament-best single of 8.47 seconds. Yibo Wang earned another podium spot by claiming second place with a 10.73 second average, while Chris Mills took third place with an average of 12.50 seconds. On the larger cubes, Yibo Wang struck gold in the 4x4x4 Cube, topping 98 solvers over two rounds with a winning average of 28.82 seconds and a single of 22.86 seconds, ahead of Mills in second at 30.22 seconds and McNeill in third at 33.61 seconds.

Big cubes and side events showcased exceptional variety throughout the cubing competition. Hayden Ng secured top honours in the 5x5x5 Cube with a stellar 49.55 second average, outpacing Wang and Mills who recorded averages of 56.87 and 58.92 seconds respectively. In Megaminx, Jamie Otsu captured the title with a 38.15 second average, leading Wang at 39.78 seconds and Mills at 44.63 seconds. Benjamin Warry took first place in Square-1 with an 8.53 second average, ahead of Jack Hinz and Charlie Eggins, while Eggins also won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event with a 14.73 second single.

Beyond the championship podiums, the official WCA competition provided a stage for significant personal breakthroughs and milestones. James Williams dropped his Square-1 personal best to 28.14 seconds, an improvement of 76.5 percent over his previous mark of 1:59.67, while also lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 37.9 percent to 4.27 seconds and entering his first 3x3x3 One-Handed event with a 40.79 single. Joao Santos logged massive gains, improving his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 67.3 percent to 3.04 seconds, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best by 49.1 percent to 11.34 seconds, and recording a 25.90 single in his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed. Flynn Crowley took 19th place in 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 43.26 seconds, which was 55.9 percent faster than before, while also completing his first official Square-1 solve in 35.87 seconds.

Other competitors took on fresh events and posted outstanding personal bests across the schedule. Huy Minh Tran dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 54.6 percent to 23.37 seconds and made his first official attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a time of 2:40.35. Hayden Hosking tackled seven events, finishing 43rd in 5x5x5 Cube with an opening mark of 2:30.88 alongside debut attempts of 52.57 in Square-1 and 1:16.70 in 4x4x4 Cube. Charlie Shulman also entered seven events, logging first attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 2.47 seconds, 4x4x4 Cube at 1:28.39, and Megaminx at 2:40.15. Billy Chapman expanded his repertoire with initial marks of 44.37 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, 2:56.08 in 5x5x5 Cube, and 2:58.13 in Megaminx, while Luke Alan Hill took on eight events and finished 14th in 2x2x2 Cube.

The overall medal tally reflected the high standard of speed cubing on display, with Australian competitors collecting 13 podium finishes, China taking 6, and New Zealand securing 5. Brisbane Summer 2024 demonstrated both world-class speed at the top of the order and remarkable progression throughout the ranks. As the final Rubik's Cube was solved and the official 3x3 results entered the record books, the tournament stood as a memorable showcase of skill and precision in Queensland.