Cambridge Autumn - British Blind Off 2024

Thirty-seven competitors gathered at The Diamond, Cripps Court on October 19–20, 2024, setting the stage for a weekend of intense focus and elite memory disciplines. The Cambridge Autumn - British Blind Off 2024 brought specialists together across ten rounds and five distinct events in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. With a schedule heavily weighted toward non-visual disciplines alongside efficiency challenges, this cubing competition served as a proving ground where experienced hands demonstrated their mastery across complex formats.

Veteran blindfolded specialist Ryan Eckersley took centre stage by capturing gold across both large-cube blind events. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Eckersley topped a field of 23 competitors with a dominant single of 1:35.69, leading the podium ahead of Mengfei Shen (沈梦非) in second with 2:25.32 and William Wright in third with 2:25.58. Eckersley then doubled his title count in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, conquering the 20-person contest with a winning single of 3:16.92. Mengfei Shen (沈梦非) secured silver at 5:45.62, while Jaye Sloan took bronze in 6:20.22.

The flagship 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest proved equally fierce across three challenging rounds. Jaye Sloan sealed victory in the final with a blistering 21.52 single, keeping the title within the domestic ranks. Charlie Harrison claimed the second step on the podium with a rapid 22.22, while Ryan Eckersley added a bronze to his weekend haul with a 30.20 effort. Solving a classic Rubik's Cube without visual aid demands rigorous memorisation and execution, and these podium finishers delivered under the brightest spotlight.

In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, endurance and recall collided as William Wright navigated a massive attempt to secure the top step. Wright recorded 31 out of 34 cubes solved in a time of 58:35, outperforming a 35-competitor field. Thomas Patterson followed closely behind in second place with 30 out of 33 cubes in 55:12, while Ryan Eckersley completed another podium finish with 32 out of 38 cubes in 57:41. The discipline remains one of the ultimate tests in speedcubing, rewarding relentless concentration.

The tactical 3x3x3 Fewest Moves event produced a dramatic tie for first place. Both Lichi Fang (方力驰) and Kai Cui shared top honours with matching averages of 22.67 moves, with Fang logging a single of 22 moves during the round. Fabio Schwandt secured third place with an average of 23.00 moves. These 3x3 results highlighted extreme technical efficiency, showing that patience and deep algorithmic knowledge are just as crucial as sheer turning velocity at a WCA competition.

Beyond the podium battles, several long-time competitors achieved remarkable individual milestones. James Kyoichi Curry (ジェイムス 恭一), taking on three events, trimmed his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best down to 32 moves, a substantial 27.3 percent improvement over his prior 44-move mark, while also completing his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a 2/3 result in 18:52. Jakob Solberg Holm tackled three disciplines and cut his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best by 18.1 percent to 2:09.75. Steve Clarke entered four events, posting a new Fewest Moves best of 53, an improvement of 14.5 percent.

Other dedicated speed cubing regulars also left Cambridge with exceptional breakthroughs. CJ Brooke took on five separate events, achieving a fifth-place finish in 5x5x5 Blindfolded and lowering their 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best by 12.3 percent to 30.50. Felix Hincks made a successful first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with 2/3 in 21:04 and improved their Fewest Moves personal best by 11.6 percent to 38. Akash Jain (ジェン明志) attempted 3x3x3 Multi-Blind for the first time, securing 4/6 in 26:52 and improving their 3x3x3 Blindfolded mark by 6.9 percent to 49.76. Meanwhile, Chris Bonnello contested five events and established an 11:09.00 personal best in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, and Oscar Coleman Green finished 23rd in Fewest Moves across three events.

The Cambridge Autumn - British Blind Off 2024 concluded with host nation competitors securing twelve podium finishes alongside three podiums for China. Across every round, seasoned contenders proved that dedication and technical refinement remain decisive when the blindfolds come down and the moves are counted. As the 2024 circuit continues, the performances in Cambridge reaffirm the extraordinary depth present across every memory and efficiency discipline.