Cool Down Berkeley 2024

The morning energy inside the Pauley Ballroom was evident as tables filled with timers, mats, and competitors ready for a full day of puzzle action. Cool Down Berkeley 2024 brought together a packed field of 157 competitors in Berkeley, California, USA on November 3, 2024. Across nine rounds in five varied disciplines, the speedcubing gathering provided intense competition from the opening heats to the late-afternoon finals, drawing participants from across the region to test their preparation on the official stage.

The official records board saw heavy traffic throughout the day, particularly during the 2x2x2 Cube rounds where competitors delivered blistering speed. Stanley Tran set the pace with a 1.26 single and a 1.43 average, while Zane Qureshi produced a 1.31 single alongside a 2.11 average. Ethan Jan registered a 1.35 single and a 2.13 average, and Sebastian Stone dropped a notable 0.90 single to go with a 2.22 average. Ezra Severson added a 1.92 single and 2.23 average, leading an extraordinary sequence of fast times in the event.

Further rapid marks continued to rewrite the event sheets in the pocket cube contest. Adih Datta posted a 1.93 single and a 2.46 average, Owen Vaughan recorded a 2.09 single and 2.50 average, and Caleb Yao (姚英華) clocked a 1.21 single with a 2.60 average. Eli Valera recorded a 1.87 single with a 2.79 average, while Matt Mao delivered a 1.30 single and a 2.82 average. These performances underscored the rapid execution required in modern short-format events at an official WCA competition.

In the main classic Rubik's Cube event, 153 solvers battled through three rounds before Varun Mohanraj emerged victorious. Mohanraj secured the 3x3x3 Cube title with a winning average of 6.51 and a best single of 5.52. The final 3x3 results remained razor thin at the top, with Heidi Chan taking the runner-up spot on a 6.62 average and Zerui Cheng (程泽睿) finishing third with a 6.63 average, leaving only hundredths of a second between the podium positions.

Mohanraj extended his command of the larger hardware by claiming victory in the 5x5x5 Cube, where 70 competitors took to the floor. Delivering an average of 47.70 and a top single of 43.87, Mohanraj topped the single-round contest. Ethan Jan secured second place with a 53.70 average, while Heidi Chan earned another podium position by taking third place with a 54.24 average in the big-cube event.

Specialized events offered equally dramatic finishes, highlighted by Anto Kam (甘浩東) capturing two distinct titles. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Kam led an 88-competitor field over two rounds to win with an average of 10.00 and an 8.45 single, finishing ahead of Ethan Jan at 11.18 and Calix Tang at 11.59. Kam then mastered the mental test of 3x3x3 Blindfolded, which requires pure memorisation before execution, winning with an average of 21.25 and a best single of 17.40, outpacing Nolan Yiu at 21.89 and Calix Tang at 22.02.

Beyond the trophy contention, many personal breakthroughs unfolded across the venue. Raghav Ramesh took on five events, achieving an 18th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, recording a first ever attempt in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:44.79, a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 28.89, and improving their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.27, which was 38.5 percent faster than before. Juan Garcia Aguirre registered a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 34.64, a first attempt in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:14.92, and reduced their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 5.35, a 19.1 percent improvement. Ryan Chiang logged a first ever attempt in 2x2x2 Cube at 5.72 while cutting their 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 31.27, an improvement of 45 percent, alongside a 25.7 percent cut in the 3x3x3 Cube down to 15.07. Arin Datta completed a first attempt in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:31.21 and posted a 3x3x3 One-Handed time of 33.27, dropping 29.9 percent from their prior standard.

Other competitors similarly logged substantial advancements across multiple categories. Kfir Kliakhandler achieved a 50.3 percent improvement in the 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 3.62 and lowered their 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 51.85, a 28.8 percent gain. Emmanuel Aguilera completed a first ever attempt in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.70 and improved their 3x3x3 Cube best to 17.03, cutting 24.4 percent off their prior mark. Eysin Fujita dropped their 2x2x2 Cube standard by 45.6 percent down to 2.98, while Arjun Nighojkar posted a first attempt in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:25.89 and improved their 2x2x2 Cube best to 4.43, a 16.4 percent reduction.

The 2x2x2 Cube final saw Ezra Severson rise to the top of a 119-competitor bracket to take the crown with an average of 1.54 and a best single of 1.15. Ethan Jan earned second place on a 1.81 average, while Matt Mao secured third with 1.88. The United States claimed 12 total podium spots across the competition, alongside two for Hong Kong and one for China, marking a vibrant conclusion to speed cubing in Northern California as Cool Down Berkeley 2024 came to a close for the 2024 calendar.

With nine rounds finished and five championship titles awarded, the day demonstrated the breadth of talent across both quick-turn sprints and complex solves. Solvers across every tier left the Pauley Ballroom with fresh marks and valuable experience, ensuring that this memorable cubing competition will remain a high-water mark for the regional community heading into the next competitive cycle.