Claws Up Final Touchdown 2024

Nico Harper delivered a commanding multi-discipline performance in Rocklin, California, USA, capturing four separate titles during Claws Up Final Touchdown 2024. The single-day tournament held on May 5, 2024, at Whitney High School saw competitors from the United States take 21 of the 24 available podium spots across eight events. From big cubes to specialized puzzles, domestic solvers controlled the leaderboards, setting an emphatic tone for speedcubing in the region throughout an intense 11 rounds of action.

The 52 competitors in attendance pushed the pace across the board in this high-energy WCA competition. While international challenger Jusun Choi of Korea earned three podium finishes, including a gold in 3x3x3 One-Handed, the American delegation swept entire podiums in four distinct disciplines. Solvers battled across big cubes, side events, and standard puzzles, creating deep fields where winning margins often came down to mere tenths of a second at this premier cubing competition.

In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, Caleb Yao captured the title with a stellar 7.27 winning average in the final round, having also logged a blistering 5.11 single solve earlier in the contest. Jusun Choi took the silver position with an 8.36 average, while Sebastian Stone secured third place with an 8.40 mark to complete the 3x3 results. The classic Rubik's Cube drew all 52 participants through three exhaustive rounds of speed cubing, establishing Yao as the standout standard solver of the day.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed final proved equally dramatic as Choi turned the tables to claim victory with a 14.98 average and a best single of 14.50. Yao stayed right behind to secure the runner-up position on a 15.30 average, while Harper rounded out the top three at 15.45. The event tested dexterity and precision across 37 entrants, showcasing Choi's composure under pressure amidst a dense field of American challengers.

Harper's true dominance emerged across the larger puzzles and mechanical disciplines, where he swept every event he won by substantial margins. In 5x5x5 Cube, Harper topped the field of 32 with a 55.88 average, ahead of Brandon Lugtu at 1:05.11 and Tsukasa Sano at 1:18.61. Moving up to 6x6x6 Cube, Harper posted a winning mark of 1:59.42, with Evan Millsap taking second in 2:19.20 and Lugtu finishing third in 2:20.47. The 7x7x7 Cube saw the same hierarchy holding firm, as Harper secured gold with 3:01.41 over Millsap's 3:21.87 and Lugtu's 4:24.89.

Outside the main cubic events, Harper added another victory in Megaminx, navigating the dodecahedron puzzle with a winning 38.20 average over Ruby Lu at 52.06 and Choi at 54.24. In Square-1, Calvin Nielson took top honors with a swift 7.06 average, outpacing Harper's 9.80 and Yao's 11.96. The Clock event produced a narrow finish as Mason Wong clinched the title on a 6.06 average, edging out Millsap at 6.17 and Stone at 6.35 in a tense 26-person bracket.

Beyond the championship trophies, remarkable personal achievements defined the day for numerous under-the-radar competitors across the tournament floor. Dhruv Chalasani tackled seven different events, securing a ninth-place finish in Clock while cutting his 6x6x6 Cube personal best by 34 percent to 3:27.30 and logging his first official 7x7x7 Cube solve of 6:26.25 alongside a first Megaminx mark of 2:13.18. Hamza Hafeez improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 27.8 percent to 12.71 and registered his first official results in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:02.08 and Clock at 32.30. Joshua Coquia shaved 19.7 percent off his previous 3x3x3 Cube standard to post an 8.95 solve, and Dominik Bora improved his Clock personal best by 18.4 percent to 24.80 while recording a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 3:40.01.

Fresh milestones continued across other brackets as Sabir Dhillon lowered his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 14 percent to 8.46 while taking his first official tries in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:17.22 and One-Handed at 37.67. Tyler Pollet improved his Clock personal record by 12.4 percent down to 16.02 and logged a first 6x6x6 Cube finish of 6:12.79. Cole Johnson took on three events, posting a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 3:09.43, a first One-Handed result of 1:31.65, and a 16.74 in standard 3x3x3. Meanwhile, Matthew Sanson stepped up for his very first WCA competition, recording an opening mark of 22.06 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The relentless succession of rounds concluded an action-packed day of competition in Northern California. With four titles for Harper, individual golds for Yao, Nielson, Wong, and Choi, and an overwhelming share of hardware staying with American solvers, Claws Up Final Touchdown 2024 served as a standout demonstration of regional depth. Solvers now turn their attention to training as the season moves forward.