Chichester Summer 2024

Inside Chichester College over the weekend of July 20 to July 21, the tournament tables presented a vibrant panorama of mechanical challenges. Alongside the familiar grids of the traditional Rubik's Cube, solvers tackled circular dials, dodecahedrons, shape-shifting layers, and massive big cubes across eighteen packed rounds. The lively cubing competition brought together 141 competitors in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, transforming the hall into a busy workshop of finger tricks and rapid inspection as participants moved from one distinct discipline to the next in this expansive 2024 gathering.

The sheer variety of events on the schedule demanded complete mastery across wildly differing mechanics. Speedcubing at this level requires competitors to pivot instantly from the dial alignments of Clock to the intricate edge pairing of the 7x7x7 Cube. Across ten separate events, Chichester Summer 2024 tested every corner of the speed cubing skill set, celebrating not only the classic twisty puzzles but also the specialised dexterity needed for non-cubic geometry and large-scale layers throughout two full days of high-paced action.

The marquee three-layered event drew an impressive 129 participants through three stages of tournament play. When the final 3x3 results were tallied, Harry Savage secured top honours with a winning average of 7.99 seconds, underscored by a best single of 6.73 seconds. Savage was joined on the podium by Felix Hincks, who posted an 8.29 average, and Noah Calderon-Kamata, who claimed third place with an average of 8.38. Savage also conquered the ultra-fast 2x2x2 Cube event, capturing victory with a blistering 1.88 average over Ben Stokes at 2.44 and Calderon-Kamata at 2.48.

While the compact cubes produced fractions-of-a-second drama, the large-cube events tested sheer stamina and spatial planning. Eli Jay delivered an extraordinary sweep across the biggest puzzles of the weekend, winning three titles. Jay triumphed in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 51.74 average, secured first place in the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:33.65 average, and took the 7x7x7 Cube crown with a 2:19.91 average. Bart Sekulski of Poland took podium spots across all three big-cube categories, while Mark Ostrom claimed the runner-up position in the 7x7x7 Cube final.

Beyond the regular cubic formats, the schedule celebrated specialty disciplines that required entirely different puzzle mechanics. In Clock, Aidan Grainger solved his way to first place with a 4.29 average, holding off Yunhao Lou of China at 4.92 and Dorian Chan of Hong Kong at 4.96. Chan found the top step of the podium in Square-1, winning with a 9.87 average. Meanwhile, Ali Antar topped a 65-competitor Megaminx field with a 46.23 average, and Harvie Partridge edged out Harry Dixon in the 4x4x4 Cube final with a winning mark of 29.65 to Dixon's 29.89.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest added mental endurance to the weekend schedule, where competitors must memorise piece positions entirely before donning a blindfold to execute their solve. Ben Stokes seized victory with a fast 24.74 single solve, besting Adam Devere at 40.31 and Harry Savage at 1:01.85. The achievement concluded a standout weekend for Stokes, who also notched a runner-up finish in the 2x2x2 Cube event alongside his blindfolded triumph.

Away from the top steps of the podium, Chichester Summer 2024 featured remarkable personal leaps and daring event debuts across the venue floor. Ali Marsh carved a dramatic 63 percent off their previous personal record in the 2x2x2 Cube to hit 2.16 seconds, reduced their 3x3x3 Cube best by 30.3 percent down to 15.56, and took on Clock for the first time with a 32.72 effort. Isaac Campbell took on seven events, achieving an eighth-place finish in Clock, slicing 54.6 percent off their Square-1 mark to reach 22.82, and logging first career attempts in both Megaminx at 1:54.26 and the 5x5x5 Cube at 2:57.41. Charlie Stapely cut 51.3 percent from their 2x2x2 Cube best down to 2.60 while making a first Clock attempt of 15.08. Reuben Ingram entered nine events, posting an initial 6x6x6 Cube time of 5:03.64 and slashing their Square-1 best by 47.3 percent to 46.09.

The surge of breakthroughs continued as Akram Karoune improved their 3x3x3 Cube benchmark by 35 percent to 15.36 seconds and registered a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 1:56.46. Ethan Ian Baumann took on Square-1 for the first time with a 50.12 clocking while improving their 3x3x3 Cube standard by 33.3 percent down to 14.24. Edmund Finch completed nine disciplines, securing seventh place in Megaminx, debuting in Square-1 at 20.45 and the 6x6x6 Cube at 2:45.85, and taking 23.1 percent off their 7x7x7 Cube mark to record 3:50.26. Musa Marsh tackled six categories, finishing fifth in the main event, posting a 2.57 debut on the 2x2x2 Cube, a 1:45.47 first run on Megaminx, and a 3:50.95 initial solve on the 6x6x6 Cube.

With 141 solvers bringing their best efforts across ten events, this WCA competition demonstrated the depth and community spirit of British speedcubing. Solvers of all backgrounds pushed their personal limits, whether managing the delicate pins of Clock, unravelling twelve-sided dodecahedrons, or grinding through multi-minute big-cube marathons. As Chichester Summer 2024 drew to a close, the weekend stood as a testament to the versatility, focus, and enthusiasm that define the modern competitive puzzle circuit.