CubeCo Durban Summer 2024

Waseem Hoosain delivered the defining display of the weekend at Gelofte School, completing a decisive 7.55 second average to secure victory in the 3x3x3 Cube final. Across two rounds of classic Rubik's Cube action, Hoosain set the benchmark for the entire gathering, pairing his winning mark with the fastest single solve of the event at 6.72 seconds. The performance set the tone for a dynamic day of speedcubing in Durban, South Africa, where 42 competitors assembled on December 7, 2024, to test their skills across five distinct disciplines and eight rounds of official tournament play.

The 2024 edition of CubeCo Durban Summer 2024 showcased remarkable leaps in speed across every bracket, proving that dedicated practice yields dramatic drops against the timer. Hoosain's dominance on the standard puzzle was mirrored by his control in the larger puzzles, while Christian Swartz mounted a versatile campaign that saw him claim multiple titles and challenge for the top spot across almost every event. The energy throughout the venue remained centered on personal progression, with solvers shaving massive margins off their prior benchmarks in an inspiring exhibition of technical growth.

Hoosain doubled his gold count by mastering the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a winning average of 34.07 seconds alongside the round best single of 31.70. Swartz took second place with a 44.43 average, followed by Casey Milos in third with 46.13. In the premier 3x3 results, Swartz earned the silver medal behind Hoosain with a 9.26 second average, while Dalton Bosman secured third place with a 12.60 average. The podium finishes highlighted the sharp execution required at the sharp end of the table as the field worked through intense rounds.

Swartz found his own double victory at the speed cubing tables by sweeping both the 2x2x2 Cube and Skewb competitions. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Swartz claimed first place with a 3.39 second average, narrowly edging Hoosain who finished runner-up at 3.60, while Grant Robert King placed third with a 4.36 average. Swartz followed up that triumph in Skewb, recording a 7.53 average for the win over Timothy Lawrance at 7.77 and King at 8.33. Pyraminx also produced a thrilling finish as Chase Lee Roodt captured the title with a swift 4.90 average, ahead of Swartz at 5.86 and Lawrance at 8.24.

Beyond the podium battles, this official WCA competition served as a launchpad for extraordinary personal progress from competitors throughout the draw. Zechariah Pillay entered five separate events and delivered an astonishing breakthrough in Skewb, cutting his personal best by 59.1 percent down to 7.62 seconds, which earned him a 7th place finish. Muhammad Muzzammil Sarwar registered a huge improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a personal best single of 12.43 seconds to improve by 47.2 percent. Tyler Harripersadh marked his third event entry by making his first ever official attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube with a time of 2:06.63, alongside slicing 43.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube record to finish at 18.09 seconds. Zai Parshotam took 9th place in the 2x2x2 Cube after trimming his single to 4.17 seconds, a 42.5 percent reduction from his former mark.

The wave of major gains continued across every discipline as solvers expanded their competitive repertoires. Elsabé Erasmus contested five disciplines and achieved a 40.8 percent cut on her Skewb best with a 4.24 single on her way to 6th place, while also making her first official attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 1:19.02. Matthew Michael Daniel took 10th in the 4x4x4 Cube, tackled his first official 2x2x2 Cube solve in 6.01 seconds, and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 35.1 percent to 13.46 seconds. Shivaay Bhola took on five events, logging his first 4x4x4 Cube solve in 2:20.31 and improving his 2x2x2 Cube single by 30.5 percent to 5.91 seconds. Levi Jordan Simeon secured 8th place in Skewb with a 45.5 percent leap to an 8.88 single while competing across five events.

Debutants also made an immediate impression on the standings, embracing the structured demands of the cubing competition floor. Brendan Nell took part in five events at his very first appearance, finishing 10th in Skewb and logging an initial 2x2x2 Cube single of 4.27 seconds. Zyan Bedhram made his career debut by contesting four events, finishing 14th in Skewb and setting opening marks in Pyraminx and the 2x2x2 Cube. Sbongakonke Ngcobo began his official solving journey across four puzzles, securing 13th place in Skewb with a solid start across the shorter disciplines.

The single-day meet highlighted the health and depth of the regional speedcubing community, where every tier of the scoreboard reflected dedication and progress. South African solvers locked in all fifteen available podium places, demonstrating remarkable versatility across twisty puzzles of every dimension. As the curtain fell on CubeCo Durban Summer 2024, the dozens of new individual milestones and technical breakthroughs provided plenty of momentum for the upcoming competitive calendar.