Canberra Spring 2024

A nail-biting finish in the flagship 3x3x3 Cube final delivered the defining moment of the weekend at Canberra Spring 2024. Bryan Eng managed to withstand fierce pressure from Aiden Krog across three demanding rounds, securing top honors by sixteen hundredths of a second. Eng wrapped up the round with a winning average of 7.50 seconds against Krog's 7.66 seconds, while Liam Highducheck claimed third place on an 8.08 mark. The tension peaked on the ultimate solves, where Eng's single of 5.28 seconds kept him ahead of a crowded field of 71 competitors.

Held across October 5 and October 6 at the Coombs Community Centre, the WCA competition drew 74 competitors to Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The busy schedule comprised 19 rounds across nine separate events, serving up a high-stakes showcase of modern speedcubing. Australian competitors swept all 27 podium places up for grabs across the schedule, turning the regional gathering into an intense display of domestic talent in 2024.

Eng's triumph in the main event formed part of a remarkable individual campaign across the weekend. Beyond the classic Rubik's Cube, Eng accumulated first-place finishes in four other disciplines. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Eng led the field of 62 entrants with a 1.93 final average and set an earlier round average of 1.55 seconds alongside a 1.02 single. Jad Smith took second place on 2.32 seconds, while Highducheck rounded out the podium on 2.46 seconds. Eng added another victory in Pyraminx with an average of 3.14 seconds, finishing clear of Edward Rust and Highducheck.

The multi-event maestro continued his winning run on the larger and unconventional puzzles. In 5x5x5 Cube, Eng topped the standings with a 53.29 average, finishing ahead of Highducheck on 55.36 and Cass Hopkins on 1:03.93. Eng also seized victory in Skewb with a 3.70 average, leading James Kirschner on 4.77 and Edward Rust on 5.65. Kirschner had earlier distinguished himself during the 2x2x2 rounds by putting up a 1.13 single and a 2.34 average.

Liam Highducheck mounted a formidable campaign of his own, collecting two titles to challenge the top of the leaderboard. Highducheck claimed the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 28.85 average, edging out Eng on 31.74 and Rust on 37.30. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors rely purely on memory before donning a blindfold, Highducheck delivered a winning average of 1:30.79, ahead of Rust's 2:12.62 and Toby Chamberlain's 2:15.38. Rust also took home a gold trophy of his own by capturing the Megaminx title with a 37.37 average, while Kittatam Saisaard prevailed in Clock on an 8.67 average over Rust and Kirschner.

Behind the fight for titles, the cubing competition saw dramatic personal milestones achieved throughout the ranks. Ethan Cowley tackled seven events and slashed his personal bests, lowering his 2x2x2 mark to 3.24 seconds, an improvement of 51.5 percent, and bettering his Pyraminx time to 7.16 seconds, while also making a first attempt at Megaminx with 2:40.86. Lucas Zhao made a maiden appearance in 2x2x2 with a 5.11 result and cut his 3x3x3 standard to 19.82 seconds, a 50.9 percent reduction. Derek Cayanan registered a 4.10 in his first 2x2x2 attempt and dropped his 3x3x3 record to 12.79 seconds, 48 percent faster than before. William Kupkee tackled seven events, logging a 1:35.58 on his first 5x5x5 attempt while cutting his Skewb time by 42.5 percent to 6.16 seconds and his Megaminx mark by 38.7 percent to 1:47.05.

The progress continued across a broad range of events for several dedicated entrants. Emerson Owen took on nine disciplines, setting a first Megaminx mark of 2:17.04 alongside a 38.5 percent drop in 5x5x5 to 2:18.95 and an 18.2 percent trim in 2x2x2 to 2.24 seconds. Sam Morgan made first appearances in 5x5x5 with 3:07.58 and Clock with 16.38 seconds while lowering their 2x2x2 personal best to 2.94 seconds. Noah Block recorded first attempts in 4x4x4 with 1:04.95 and Pyraminx with 4.74 seconds, alongside a 2x2x2 best of 3.75 seconds. In their first WCA competition, Muhammad Ahmed Arslan completed seven disciplines, posting initial benchmarks of 15.46 in Skewb, 12.17 in Pyraminx, and 4:14.86 in Megaminx.

The depth of performance extended into every round, from beginners finding their footing to seasoned contenders trading milliseconds under match conditions. With 19 rounds concluded, the official 3x3 results and podium totals reflected a high standard of speed cubing excellence across the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra Spring 2024 concluded having delivered both high drama at the pinnacle of the finals and steady progression across the entire roster of competitors.