Bull City Summer NC 2024

Inside the Durham Convention Center, the rhythmic clatter of plastic mechanisms, the snap of magnetic pins, and the gentle taps of timer pads set the tone for a full day of action in Durham, North Carolina, USA. A total of 107 competitors gathered on September 7, 2024, to take on eleven rounds across five distinct disciplines. While standard puzzles drew plenty of attention, the niche challenges on the schedule brought an electrifying dynamic to the floor as specialists stepped into the spotlight.

The Clock event took centre stage early during Bull City Summer NC 2024, bringing together 62 competitors over two rounds of precise, multi-dial turning. Fiona Bao delivered a masterclass in the finals, securing victory with a winning average of 3.64 seconds after posting a best single of 3.01. Anvesh Reddy Chinnapu of India took the second spot with an average of 4.87, edging out Kerry Creech of the United States, who rounded out the podium in third with a 4.88 mark.

Kerry Creech was right back at the top of the table in Pyraminx, an event that saw 87 entrants battle across two rounds. Creech claimed first place with a stellar 2.00 average, supported by a rapid single solve of 1.78 seconds. Michael Nielsen pushed hard in the final round, taking the runner-up spot with a 2.05 average, while Zachary Ochs captured third place with an average of 2.47 in a sharply contested finish.

Big cubes also had their moment in the spotlight as 74 competitors lined up for the 4x4x4 Cube event. Ashten Jampayas proved unbeatable across the two rounds, taking the title with a winning average of 27.13 seconds and recording the best single of the competition at 24.88 seconds. Michael Nielsen secured second place on the podium with an average of 29.10, and Kerry Creech earned another medal by finishing third with an average of 32.85.

Away from the podium battles, personal progress defined the atmosphere across the tournament floor. Rebecca Lam entered five disciplines, finished eleventh in the 2x2x2 Cube, recorded a personal best of 1.90 seconds that was 65.6 percent faster than her prior mark, lowered her Pyraminx personal best by 37.5 percent to 4.29, and registered an 8.19 in her first ever attempt at Clock. Rhys Young trimmed 65 percent off his Clock mark with a 12.31, dropped his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 57.8 percent to 1:00.43, and reduced his 2x2x2 Cube time by 47.3 percent to 3.28 across five events. Jacob Leaser saw massive strides, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube best by 61.7 percent to 2.25, improving his 3x3x3 Cube time by 53.6 percent to 12.61, and dropping his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 46.9 percent to 1:05.24.

Other competitors also used this WCA competition to break personal barriers and expand their repertoire. Oliver Ciceraro tackled four events, taking on his first ever attempt at Clock with a 10.84, while lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 61.6 percent to 1.53 and his 3x3x3 Cube time to 12.96. Eli Elstein logged a 4.57 on his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube, improved his Clock personal best by 57.6 percent to 11.86, and dropped his Pyraminx mark by 28.3 percent to 10.13. Jonathan Coleman took on five events, logging a 10.94 in his first Clock attempt and improving his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 33.3 percent to 42.92. Alexander Moshtaghi completed five events while making first ever attempts in the 2x2x2 Cube at 6.48, Clock at 16.60, and 4x4x4 Cube at 2:06.40, while Alex Vernon improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 53.8 percent to 3.06 across five events.

The 2x2x2 Cube delivered lightning-fast finishes among the 96 participants. Michael Nielsen captured the win with a blistering average of 1.46 seconds and a best single of 1.16, narrowly fending off Zachary Ochs, who finished second with a 1.49 average. Ashten Jampayas earned the third podium step with a 1.61 average, having previously logged a 1.28 single and 1.69 average earlier in the rounds.

The classic Rubik's Cube drew the largest lineup of the day, featuring 106 solvers across three rounds. When the final 3x3 results were tallied, Michael Nielsen topped the standings with a 7.24 winning average and a single solve of 6.78. Kino Deligero of the United Kingdom took second place with a 7.29 average, while Kerry Creech took third with a 7.56 average, concluding an intense day of speed cubing at the tables.

Across eleven rounds of speedcubing, Bull City Summer NC 2024 highlighted the depth of skill present in every event, from niche side events to main-stage classics. The United States captured thirteen podium finishes, with international podium entries from the United Kingdom and India. With memorable performances and widespread personal breakthroughs across Durham, the cubing competition concluded as a celebrated showcase for competitors looking ahead to the next season.