Davis Summer 2024

17.44 seconds was all it took for Calix Tang to secure victory in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded final, setting the tone for an intense day of memory and calculation. Blindfolded solving demands flawless memorisation and complete spatial recall, as competitors study the puzzle before donning a blindfold and turning at full speed. Tang captured top honours with his 17.44-second single, while Anto Kam finished in second place with a time of 20.03 seconds and Cindy Xiaoyue Huang claimed third place at 32.12 seconds in the 29-competitor field.

Held on August 17, 2024, at the Davis Veterans Memorial Center in Davis, California, USA, the gathering brought together 113 competitors across six varied events and 11 rounds of action. The one-day WCA competition showcased both the precision of blindfolded specialists and the rapid-fire pace of mainstream speedcubing disciplines. Enthusiasts gathered from across the region to test their abilities under tournament conditions, generating high-stakes moments across every discipline.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive field of 112 entrants through three grueling rounds of competition. Heidi Chan proved unstoppable in the final round, locking down the gold medal with a stunning 6.78-second winning average alongside a best single solve of 6.42 seconds. Calix Tang added another podium finish to his weekend haul by taking second place with an average of 8.24 seconds, while Paul Mahvi secured third place with an 8.29-second mark in the official 3x3 results.

The 3x3 results table in the classic Rubik's Cube was filled with remarkable individual achievements throughout the preliminary stages. Zerui Cheng logged a sharp 5.73 single and a 6.96 average, while Heidi Chan delivered a 6.24 single and a 6.68 average. Paul Mahvi registered a 6.87 single and 8.16 average, Micah Yeo posted a 7.51 single with an 8.30 average, and Calix Tang recorded a 7.05 single with an 8.87 average. Sebastian Stone also achieved a 7.64 single and 8.87 average, joined by Kenji Gipson-Nahman at 7.91 and 9.04, An Le at 7.47 and 9.16, Jason Ostdiek at 8.59 and 9.25, and Varenya Jyotiraditya with an 8.51 single and 9.38 average.

Beyond the main event, the one-handed and big cube events delivered dramatic finishes. Anto Kam demonstrated exceptional control to win 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 10.79 seconds and a best single of 9.61 seconds among 69 entrants, finishing ahead of Calix Tang with 11.99 seconds and Micah Yeo with 12.82 seconds. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Paul Mahvi captured the crown in the single-round contest with a 51.93-second winning average and a 50.65-second single against 46 entrants, besting An Le at 56.55 seconds and Mitchell Lane at 1:02.45.

Specialty disciplines provided even more rapid action at Davis Summer 2024. Jaidon Poraminthara Lin mastered the Clock event, securing first place with a blazing 3.32-second average and a single of 2.82 seconds to top Alessandro Diomampo at 3.58 seconds and Sebastian Stone at 5.50 seconds. In Skewb, Taj Bressert finished atop the 63-competitor roster with a 2.78-second winning average and a 2.47-second best single, leaving Dean Jacob Adamo Susskind in second at 3.46 seconds and Mitchell Lane in third at 4.71 seconds.

The tournament floor at Davis Summer 2024 also highlighted substantial personal progress away from the top podium steps. Hamza Hafeez tackled five events, slicing 65.4 percent off his Clock mark down to 11.17 seconds, trimming Skewb to 5.17 seconds, and attempting 3x3x3 Blindfolded for the first time with a 4:33.82 mark to earn 14th place. Jermaine Lei improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 55.8 percent to 21.97 seconds and posted a 10.58-second first attempt at Clock. Ryan Reynolds took 11th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded by dropping 53.8 percent off his personal best to 4:06.24 while logging an 11.68 first attempt in Skewb. Ari Petruzzelli lowered his one-handed mark by 52.1 percent to 1:05.48 and reached a 35.27-second personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube alongside an initial 19.05-second attempt in Skewb.

That drive extended across all corners of the venue as competitors expanded their repertoires. Nathan Scovis lowered his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 46.8 percent to 12.37 seconds, achieved a 5.65-second mark in Skewb, and posted a 2:51.25 first attempt in the 5x5x5 Cube for 42nd place. Aviel Luz Palma cut his 3x3x3 Cube best by 42.1 percent down to 40.17 seconds and tried Clock for the first time with a 40.86-second result. Vedant Dinesh Kuwar registered a 35.1 percent improvement in Clock to 37.95 seconds, improved his 3x3x3 mark to 24.52 seconds, and took a first try at Skewb in 18.70 seconds. Kavi Antoni tackled five events, improving his 5x5x5 Cube mark by 32.8 percent to 2:25.64 to finish 39th, setting a 25.27-second one-handed personal best, and recording a first attempt of 15.65 seconds in Clock.

Across the schedule, competitors from the United States collected 15 podium finishes, alongside two for Hong Kong and one for China. The speed cubing community in Northern California embraced the full range of puzzle challenges, making the most of every scramble and solve. From rapid blindfolded executions to high-turn-rate sprints, Davis Summer 2024 celebrated the dedicated practice and athletic focus defining the sport.