Deep South Solving Cape Town 2024

Daniel Rush delivered a masterclass across the big puzzle roster at Deep South Solving Cape Town 2024, clinching four separate titles in a commanding showing. Held at the Noordhoek Community Center across April 6 and April 7, the two-day gathering brought 14 competitors together in Cape Town, South Africa, for a packed schedule spanning 11 events and 18 rounds. Rush set the tone across the larger cubes and specialty disciplines, securing victories in 5x5x5 Cube, 6x6x6 Cube, 7x7x7 Cube, and Megaminx. His dominant performances across the board highlighted the high level of execution that defined the weekend.

The competitive action across the field demonstrated just how rapidly the local community is refining its craft at this WCA competition. In the 5x5x5 Cube final, Rush claimed first place with a 52.19 winning average and a best single of 51.21. Samuel Collett took the runner-up spot with an average of 1:06.84, while Maverick Pearson finished third with 1:22.73. Rush extended his form to the 6x6x6 Cube, winning the event with an average of 1:31.89 ahead of Collett in 2:16.04 and Pearson in 2:40.20. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Rush added another title to his tally with a winning average of 2:22.80.

Specialty disciplines provided plenty of drama throughout the cubing competition, particularly in the side events. Samuel Collett earned a pair of tournament victories, taking first place in Clock with a crisp 5.70 winning average and a 5.56 single, while also claiming top honours in Square-1 with a 15.04 average. Tristan Ford made his presence felt at the top of the standings by winning Skewb, posting a 3.74 average and a 3.13 single, finishing ahead of Collett in 4.66 and Rush in 5.15. Ford also secured a podium spot in Square-1, placing third with a 20.27 average just behind Rush in 15.16.

Blindfolded solving demands intense concentration and precise memorisation, and the specialty category belonged squarely to Timothy Lawrance and Tristan Ford. Ford claimed victory in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a winning single of 1:08.37, finishing ahead of Lawrance in 3:41.89 and Raphael Fast of Canada in 4:24.35. Lawrance then swept the remaining blindfolded events in style. He secured the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind title by solving 12 out of 15 cubes in 56:29, won 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a 7:23.26 single, and captured 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a 15:50.00 single.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Deep South Solving Cape Town 2024 served as a prime showcase for personal development, with competitors posting remarkable improvements across multiple categories. Noah Atter delivered an extraordinary breakthrough in Skewb, lowering his personal best to 5.15, an improvement of 67.4 percent compared to his previous best of 15.79, while also making his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a mark of 3:13.08. Catherine Rush entered three events and recorded a 14.9 percent improvement in 5x5x5 Cube with a personal best of 2:11.96, alongside taking on her first ever attempts in both Skewb with 15.35 and 6x6x6 Cube with 5:43.79.

The progress continued across the lineup as competitors tested their skills across new and demanding formats. Anthony Kalaya Rush took on his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube, finishing with a time of 7:00.29. Rohan Rossouw placed sixth in 5x5x5 Cube while improving his personal best by 9.2 percent down to 1:30.62. Micah Willenburgh took on seven events, recording a personal best of 11.05 in Clock that was 21.8 percent faster than his prior best, a 5x5x5 Cube personal best of 1:54.18, a Megaminx personal best of 1:21.60, and a fourth-place finish in Skewb. Daniel David Mizen also tackled seven events, achieving his first ever attempt at Megaminx in 1:48.48, a Square-1 personal best of 20.37 that improved by 21.1 percent, and a 7x7x7 Cube personal best of 5:19.11, which was 25.5 percent faster.

The versatile range of puzzles challenged the field in different ways, from standard twisty puzzles to complex multi-layer mechanisms. Rush completed his quartet of titles in Megaminx, taking victory with a 51.28 average and a best single of 46.25 across two competitive rounds. While enthusiasts often focus on classic Rubik's Cube speedcubing, the breadth of 11 different events showed how well-rounded solvers have become. Whether tackling fast-turning puzzles or the patient strategy required for big cubes, the standards across the board continue to climb rapidly.

Looking across the weekend, the international mix saw South Africa claim 31 podium positions alongside one podium finish for Canada. From the intense blindfolded attempts to the high-tempo dexterity required for side events, the speed cubing scene in the Western Cape delivered standout moments throughout the schedule. With fans eagerly analyzing the full sheet of 3x3 results and event breakdowns, the progress shown at Deep South Solving Cape Town 2024 proves that the talent pool is evolving quickly as the 2024 season moves forward.