Davis Winter 2024

A blistering 1.61 average in the 2x2x2 Cube final set the standard at Davis Winter 2024, but that was merely the start of an extraordinary campaign by Varun Mohanraj. Competitors journeyed from across the state and across international borders, including solvers travelling from as far as the Philippines, to assemble in Davis, California, USA for a full day of top-tier speedcubing. The University of California-Davis ARC Conference Center served as the backdrop on February 18, 2024, gathering 127 competitors across 6 events and 11 distinct rounds of tournament play.

The journey proved especially rewarding for Mohanraj, whose triple victory anchored the entire WCA competition. In the classic Rubik's Cube, featuring a massive field of 126 entrants through four rigorous rounds, Mohanraj captured the title with a 6.89 winning average and a best single of 6.52. Caleb Yao secured second place with a 7.48 average, while Zerui Cheng earned third with 7.53, capping an intensely contested set of 3x3 results at the top of the table.

Mohanraj extended his mastery to the larger 4x4x4 Cube, leading 79 competitors to win with a 29.81 average and a single solve of 27.82. Paul Mahvi followed in second place with a 30.57 mark, while Brandon Lugtu completed the podium in 33.60. Combined with his decisive 1.61 average on the 2x2x2 Cube ahead of Will Callan at 1.72 and Cameron Miller at 1.73, Mohanraj finished the weekend having captured three separate event championships across varying puzzle formats.

Beyond the standard layers, the side events brought out exceptional versatility from the assembled speed cubing contingent. Cameron Miller took the Pyraminx crown out of 72 contenders with an average of 2.59 and a quick 1.78 single, while Sebastian Stone took second at 3.55 and Stephen Zhu secured third at 3.87. Nico Harper claimed first place in Megaminx among 51 competitors, registering a 39.04 average and a 36.52 single, holding off Nolan Yiu at 42.92 and Alessandro Diomampo at 44.47.

The Square-1 event offered another display of precision solve mechanics among 42 competitors. Calvin Nielson took top honours with a winning average of 6.67 and a single of 5.47, finishing ahead of Cameron Miller who posted a 7.96 average for second. Nico Harper rounded out the top three with an average of 10.85, collecting a second podium finish to complement his Megaminx championship in a demanding single-round showdown.

While the champions claimed the trophies, the broader heart of Davis Winter 2024 lived inside personal milestones across the venue. Andrew Toth delivered a remarkable 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 19.08, shaving 65.7 percent off a previous 55.57 mark while completing a first official attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 3.59. Neha Chhabra similarly dropped significant time, recording a 15.37 personal best on the 3x3x3 Cube that improved on an earlier 34.24 by 55.1 percent. Treble Beckett improved their 3x3x3 Cube time by 39.7 percent down to 24.98 and notched a first attempt on Pyraminx at 8.49.

International traveler Dylan James D. Santos took on six events, achieving a personal best of 19.39 in the 3x3x3 Cube, an improvement of 25.5 percent, alongside first-ever attempts at Megaminx with 2:40.68 and Square-1 with 1:27.48, reaching 37th place in Square-1. Ian Nguyen entered five events, cutting 32.1 percent off a Pyraminx personal best to clock 6.06 and logging debut attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 2:14.41 and Megaminx at 1:44.75. Catherine Popescu logged a 25 percent improvement for an 18.13 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube and a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 2:03.72, while Daniel Brannon dropped 48.6 percent for a 15.98 2x2x2 Cube personal best, and Tyler Pollet navigated their first official tournament by tackling five events, highlighted by a 24th-place finish in Square-1.

The comprehensive schedule highlighted the breadth of talent across Northern California and beyond, with 18 podium positions awarded to solvers representing the United States. From newcomers stepping onto the competition floor for the very first time to seasoned solvers refining fractional seconds, the single-day cubing competition demonstrated the depth of the community. As the 2024 tournament calendar moves forward, the achievements logged at Davis Winter 2024 will stand as clear benchmarks for every solver who made the trip.