Don't Blow Away Casper 2024

Inside the sanctuary halls of the College Heights Baptist Church, the rapid clacking of twisting plastic echoed throughout the day as speedcubing returned to Casper, Wyoming, USA. Forty-seven competitors gathered on July 13 for Don't Blow Away Casper 2024, an action-packed one-day gathering spanning eight events and twelve rounds. With tables arranged for official World Cube Association timing gear, the atmosphere was defined by focused concentration and steady hands, setting up a competitive showcase for seasoned solvers returning to form on the tournament stage.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a crowded field of 44 contenders across three rigorous rounds. Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel demonstrated total command of the classic Rubik's Cube, capturing the title with an impressive winning average of 7.80 seconds alongside a best single solve of 7.20 seconds. The 3x3 results confirmed Sitja Sichel's dominance, as he held off runner-up Braik Hurm, who logged an 8.87 average, and third-place finisher Raymos Castillo, who closed the final podium spot with a 9.52 average.

Sitja Sichel's veteran campaign did not stop with the main event, as he assembled a remarkable triple-victory day across varied cube disciplines. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Sitja Sichel paced the 26-player field with a winning mark of 30.86 seconds on average and a best single of 27.41 seconds, leading Castillo in second at 34.10 and Miles Walcott in third at 37.79. Moving to the 3x3x3 One-Handed tables, Sitja Sichel secured his third title of this WCA competition with an average of 14.93 seconds and a best effort of 11.79, outperforming Castillo's 15.66 and Walcott's 17.30.

The 2x2x2 Cube provided blistering pace across two rounds for 45 entrants, with Kian Cline claiming victory through a 2.99-second average and a single of 1.49 seconds. Cline's sharp execution kept him ahead of Walcott, who earned second with a 3.22 average, and Elizabeth Cutting, who took third in 3.27. Cline also conquered the shifting mechanics of the Square-1 event, where he won over two rounds with a 14.37 average, barely holding off Sitja Sichel's 14.57 average and Ben Tibbetts in third at 15.01.

Side events brought further distinction to seasoned contenders across the roster. Ben Tibbetts captured top honours in the Clock event, producing an average of 4.90 seconds and a single of 3.78 to lead Castillo's 5.58 and Walcott's 5.77. In the Pyraminx division, Castillo claimed the championship with a 3.99 average and a best single of 3.16, ahead of Noah Gorski at 5.15 and Stone Amsbaugh at 5.22. Meanwhile, 3x3x3 Fewest Moves saw Miles Walcott take first place with a single score of 33 moves, besting Castillo's 35 and tied third-place marks of 38 from Lucas Chandler Moorehead and Evan Wilson.

Beyond the top podium spots, the cubing competition served as a launchpad for major personal milestones across the community. Isaac Harber registered a massive breakthrough in 2x2x2 Cube by trimming his personal best down to 5.24 seconds, an improvement of 59.4 percent, while also taking on Clock for the first time with a 33.74 effort. Sebastian Bruno Beltran entered all eight events, taking fourth in 2x2x2 Cube with a 53.3 percent personal best cut to 1.21 seconds and making his first attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with 44 moves. Seth Hammell also sliced his 2x2x2 Cube personal record by 52 percent to 2.34 seconds, alongside personal bests in Clock and 4x4x4 Cube.

First-time official attempts and notable drops in solving times continued throughout the lower brackets. William James lowered his Clock record by 48.2 percent to 8.89 seconds while entering seven events. Joshua Brown chopped 47.1 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal mark, setting a new standard of 20.82 seconds. Andrew Rigsby improved his Pyraminx personal best by 32.2 percent down to 6.54 seconds and tackled Clock for the first time with an 18.04. Newcomers also jumped straight into competition, with Connor Dolce making his first WCA tournament start across five events, including a 7.62 Pyraminx, and Camden Kirschenmann taking on three events in his tournament debut with a 19.62 3x3x3 Cube.

The 2024 gathering at Don't Blow Away Casper 2024 highlighted the breadth and technical skill present throughout the regional community. With 25 total podium positions earned by United States competitors across eight diverse events, the day demonstrated both top-tier speed cubing form from established leaders and determined progression from emerging solvers across Wyoming.

As competitors packed their gear at College Heights Baptist Church, the tournament concluded with memorable performances across all 12 rounds. From multiple triumphs across classic and rotational puzzles to dozens of lifetime personal bests, Don't Blow Away Casper 2024 left a strong competitive mark on the 2024 calendar.