Burnaby Basics 2024

Eighty-three competitors took their places at Bonsor Recreation Complex on February 3, 2024, setting off nine rounds of intense regional action. Burnaby Basics 2024 brought together four distinct events in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, testing local pride as solvers from across the area and visitors from south of the border converged on the venue. Speedcubing in the Pacific Northwest has built a fierce competitive tradition, and this WCA competition put that regional talent squarely in the spotlight as Canadian solvers battled to keep top honors on home soil.

The traditional 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube brought 79 competitors to the tables across three rounds, serving as the battleground for the weekend's most anticipated finishes. In the final, Luke Jankowiak claimed the top spot for Canada with a decisive winning average of 7.65 seconds, backed by a blistering best single of 5.85 seconds. The podium race proved remarkably tight, as Ethan Rusnak pressed hard to capture second place with an average of 7.70 seconds. Jose Miguel Valdes Rodriguez completed the Canadian sweep of the top three with a 7.95-second mark, securing stellar 3x3 results in the premier discipline.

In the 2x2x2 Cube, 74 competitors faced off across three full rounds of fast-paced solving. Dilshawn Sidhu emerged victorious with a winning average of 2.53 seconds alongside a best single of 1.89 seconds. Jankowiak returned to the podium steps to take second place with an average of 2.64 seconds, narrowly staying ahead of Ethan Chen, who finished third at 2.74 seconds. American challenger Jack Anderson delivered notable pressure during the event, registering an average of 2.93 seconds and a single of 1.88 seconds, but the Canadian contingent successfully claimed all three podium positions.

The Pyraminx event featured 60 competitors over two rounds, demanding precision and rapid visual tracking. Brian Kan took first place with a winning average of 3.08 seconds, anchored by a best single of 2.27 seconds. Ash Chen earned second place with an average of 3.21 seconds, while Valdes Rodriguez collected his second podium of the meet by taking third place with a 3.37-second average. The single-round Skewb contest saw 52 competitors clash, where Kevin Lê captured the title with an average of 3.55 seconds and a single of 2.42 seconds, followed by Kyle Van Straaten at 4.63 seconds and Jacob Kotai at 5.16 seconds.

Beyond the fight for trophies, the cubing competition served as a stage for remarkable individual breakthroughs across all skill levels. Kaven Thiyagarajan took on four separate events, logging a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 14.64 seconds that improved on his previous mark by 79.2 percent, an upgraded 2x2x2 Cube time of 5.04 seconds, and a first ever attempt at Skewb in 13.83 seconds. Austin Ng delivered his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 5.07-second result and Pyraminx with a 14.56-second solve, alongside a 13.3 percent improvement in 3x3x3 to 13.78 seconds. Isabella Payares Aguirre competed across four events, posting a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 6.30 seconds and cutting her 2x2x2 time by 25.1 percent to 3.04 seconds. Matthew Ma reached fifth place in Skewb, lowering his personal best by 23.3 percent to 3.20 seconds, while also trimming his Pyraminx best by 29.6 percent down to 4.02 seconds.

Other solvers showed massive progress through dedicated training in speed cubing. Winston Chow tackled four events, recording a fourth-place finish in Skewb after slicing his previous personal best in half by 50 percent to reach 3.35 seconds. Gautham Hari Mathrakotte contested the 2x2x2 Cube, cutting his personal best by 47.6 percent down to 7.67 seconds. Ryan Lai logged a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.83-second solve and advanced his 3x3x3 best by 15.3 percent to 15.94 seconds. Finn Florizone stepped onto the official floor for his first WCA competition, entering four events and registering maiden marks of 12.51 seconds in 2x2x2 Cube, 19.85 seconds in Pyraminx, and 31.80 seconds in 3x3x3 Cube.

Visiting competitor Grant Christensen also navigated his first WCA competition by taking on four events, highlighted by a 51st-place finish in Skewb, a 14.44-second Pyraminx try, and a 15.15-second 3x3x3 solve. His fellow international debutants Price Robert Christensen and Maxwell Ryan Christensen similarly tested themselves in all four disciplines, with Maxwell securing 23rd place in Skewb with an 8.07-second single and a 4.24-second 2x2x2 result. These clashes across border lines and brackets brought energy to every tier of the standings.

All twelve available podium places across the four events were ultimately secured by Canadian solvers, confirming the immense depth of the local community. Burnaby Basics 2024 demonstrated how spirited regional matchups can elevate standard play, providing seasoned contenders and rising solvers alike a memorable proving ground as they prepare for the next season of competitive solving.