Colorado Mountain Tour - Grand Junction 2024

Jacob Nokes set the tone for an extraordinary day of puzzle solving by capturing three separate titles, leading a total United States clean sweep across all seven events. At Colorado Mountain Tour - Grand Junction 2024, American solvers claimed every single podium position, securing all 21 available top-three placements. The single-day tournament brought 47 competitors to the Grand Junction Convention Center on June 12, 2024, featuring 14 rounds of intense action that showcased supreme national depth.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a competitive field of 45 entrants across three rounds of Rubik's Cube mastery. In the final round, Jacob Nokes earned the victory with a standout 7.37 winning average alongside a best single of 6.23. Nicolás Sánchez secured the runner-up position with an 8.02 average, while Raymos Castillo completed the United States sweep on the podium by claiming third place with an average of 8.29. The final 3x3 results capped a dominant showing across the standard speedcubing event.

Nokes extended his dominance to the larger and more complex puzzles during Colorado Mountain Tour - Grand Junction 2024. In the 4x4x4 Cube, which ran as a single decisive round among 34 competitors, Nokes secured first place with an average of 29.88 and a field-best single of 25.42. Sánchez again took second with a 30.80 average, while Castillo finished third at 33.31. Nokes then captured the Square-1 crown with a 9.82 average and a 7.62 single, holding off Braden Richards with 11.63 and Simon Kellum with 11.74.

Specialty disciplines provided plenty of excitement across the venue. Raymos Castillo delivered a winning performance in Megaminx, recording a 49.49 average and a 47.09 single across two rounds to top Richards at 54.07 and Kellum at 54.09. Simon Kellum produced the quickest average of the competition in Pyraminx, taking first place with a 2.46 mark and a 1.63 single ahead of Jude Stradtner and Richards. In Clock, Wilson Hettinger won with a 4.87 average, edging out Stradtner and Castillo in a tight battle.

The memory-testing 3x3x3 Blindfolded event rounded out the schedule with 21 solvers attempting solves without sight. Luke Meszar captured the gold medal by registering a winning single of 36.42. Kellum secured second place with a time of 1:16.39, while Castillo earned third place with a 1:30.44 mark to add another medal to his collection. The blindfold discipline tested memorisation and execution under strict judging conditions, delivering a memorable finish to the multi-round program.

Beyond the championship podiums, the official WCA competition highlighted tremendous personal milestones and breakthroughs across the roster. Dylan Box took on seven different events, slicing his Clock personal best down by 68 percent to 11.53, improving his Square-1 best by 20.8 percent to 50.31, and logging a first attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 2:18.49. Renn Gilbert delivered a huge breakthrough in Square-1, cutting 52.7 percent off their personal record to reach 21.10. Trent Corbin Rundquist entered seven events, securing a 5th place finish in Pyraminx while recording first-time marks in Square-1 of 1:22.91 and Blindfolded of 2:03.05 alongside an 11.99 Clock best. Truman Clack trimmed 44.6 percent off their Square-1 mark down to 24.01.

Several other participants celebrated remarkable individual achievements that defined the spirit of the cubing competition. Ethan McFarland made a massive stride in Pyraminx, taking 34.9 percent off their personal best to record a 10.92 single. Dimitri Alvey tackled five events, completing a first official attempt at Megaminx in 3:04.91 and finishing 18th in Clock. Deuce Maulding lowered their 4x4x4 Cube best by 16.2 percent to 40.04 and achieved 13th place in Square-1. Joel Riley Holley took part in their first career speed cubing tournament, completing first attempts in 3x3x3 Cube at 16.91, Pyraminx at 8.93, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:27.66.

The vibrant gathering at Colorado Mountain Tour - Grand Junction 2024 concluded having demonstrated the rich talent present across Grand Junction, Colorado, USA. From the triple-gold campaign of Jacob Nokes to the comprehensive medal sweeps by American solvers across all seven events, the tournament offered a showcase of elite execution. As competitors look ahead to the next phase of the 2024 competitive season, the performances established a high benchmark for regional speedcubing.

Every round of Colorado Mountain Tour - Grand Junction 2024 reflected the dedication required to excel across the diverse lineup of puzzles. With hundreds of solves completed across 14 rounds, the event celebrated the full spectrum of competitive cubing. Solvers of all experience levels pushed their limits against the clock, cementing a day of memorable finishes and widespread personal progression.