Concord Summer 2024

A blistering 1.59 winning average on the 2x2x2 Cube by Caleb Chen set the tempo for an action-packed weekend of speedcubing excellence. That standout performance opened the door to a full schedule of competition, where puzzle enthusiasts converged from across the region. Taking place on June 9, 2024, Concord Summer 2024 transformed the Great Wolf Lodge into a lively hub of speed cubing excitement. Across five featured events and ten packed rounds, the gathering captured the unique blend of intense concentration and shared fellowship that defines the puzzle-solving scene.

The venue in Concord, North Carolina, USA bustled with activity as 135 competitors assembled to test their skills and connect over shared methods. Between competitive stages, the space between rounds was filled with lively practice sessions, side-event scrambles, and participants comparing solve methods. This cubing competition delivered not just fast times on the tables, but an open atmosphere where seasoned veterans and newcomers traded tips, inspected hardware, and cheered for each other through every solve on the official schedule.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood as the centerpiece of the program, drawing 132 participants through three intense stages of solving. Chen secured the top spot with a commanding winning average of 6.41 and a session-best single solve of 4.24. Ashten Jampayas claimed second place on the podium with a 7.30 average, while Michael Nielsen completed the top three with an average of 7.74. The official 3x3 results reflected deep competition across the bracket, concluding an event that anchors any major Rubik's Cube gathering.

Chen added a second victory in the 2x2x2 Cube division, where 126 competitors tackled two rounds of rapid turns. His 1.59 final winning average was matched against tough pressure from Nielsen, who earned second place with 1.76, and Jampayas, who took third with a 1.90 mark. During earlier rounds, competitors set notable personal benchmarks, including a 0.77 single by Nielsen, a 0.83 single by Kerry Creech, a 1.04 single by Zachary Ochs, a 1.18 single by Chen, and an eventual 1.79 single from Jampayas.

Beyond the front-running podium battles, the true spirit of the WCA competition lived in the individual breakthroughs across the floor. Jackson Hollander entered five events and earned a personal best of 1.67 on the 2x2x2 Cube, an improvement of 77.5 percent over his previous best, alongside a 36.1 percent drop in Pyraminx down to 8.87. Ethan Owens tackled five events, delivering a Clock personal best of 8.70 that was 85.2 percent faster than his prior mark, while logging his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:18.89. Rishi Kannan entered four disciplines, taking on a first ever attempt at Clock with 35.12 while lowering his Pyraminx personal best by 47.6 percent to 5.58. Hannah Evans contested four events, establishing a Clock personal best of 17.72, which was 46.2 percent faster than her previous baseline.

The milestone efforts continued across multiple divisions as more participants registered new personal high-water marks. Sahil Ratnakar Bhide entered three events, logging his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a time of 15.89 and recording a 53.3 percent improvement on the 2x2x2 Cube at 5.82. Preet Ahuja posted a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 7.77 before reducing his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 36.8 percent to 19.75. Chase Galpin registered for five events, delivering a first ever attempt at Clock in 24.43 and a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:33.29. Dillon Marshall entered three events, logging a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 6.64 and dropping his Pyraminx personal best by 32.8 percent to 9.90.

In the specialty puzzle categories, Nielsen dominated the Pyraminx field of 105 entrants across two rounds, securing the title with a winning average of 1.66 and the best single of the event at 1.28. Alex Bohac secured second place on the Pyraminx podium with a 2.46 average, closely followed by Zachary Ochs in third with 2.60. The 4x4x4 Cube featured a single high-stakes round among 85 competitors, where Katie Hull captured victory with a 27.89 average and a 26.03 single, leading Jampayas in second at 30.16 and Vishwa Sankar in third at 30.67.

The Clock event rounded out the weekend with two sharp stages among 76 competitors, won by Fiona Bao with a swift winning average of 3.79 and a best single of 3.28. Anvesh Reddy Chinnapu finished as runner-up with 4.81, while Sankar took third place with a 5.08 average. By the time Concord Summer 2024 concluded at the Great Wolf Lodge, the 2024 event had delivered 15 podium awards, countless personal milestones, and a clear reminder of the warmth and energy driving the speedcubing community forward.