Dublin Ohio Summer AM 2024

The morning air inside the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Dublin Branch carried the focused hum of plastic mechanisms turning in rapid succession. Thirty competitors arrived in Columbus, Ohio, USA, taking their seats at the solving stations surrounded by stacks of puzzles and timer displays. The single-day schedule for Dublin Ohio Summer AM 2024 promised four distinct disciplines spread across five rounds of action. With a compact roster assembled on September 7, 2024, every solve mattered from the opening scrambles onward.

The competitive schedule started in earnest as solvers tackled the geometric challenge of the Megaminx, testing their endurance across twelve distinct faces. Phillip Lewicki set the standard early, securing victory with a winning average of 41.94 seconds alongside the fastest single solve of the event at 37.61 seconds. Lucy Grace Bryson earned second place with an average of 44.02 seconds, while David Miguel-Santiago completed the podium in third with an average of 49.29 seconds among a field of 21 competitors.

Attention quickly shifted to the larger NxN puzzles with the single round of 4x4x4 Cube. Lewicki continued his dominant morning, claiming his second gold of the weekend with a 30.76-second winning average and the field-best single of 28.98 seconds. Mason Langenderfer secured the runner-up spot with an average of 37.75 seconds, followed closely by Jason Vindvamara in third place at 39.12 seconds. The precision required on the four-layer puzzle kept the pressure high throughout all 23 official attempts.

The pace shifted dramatically when the Skewb event took center stage. Gabriel Gowman delivered a sharp performance across the corner-turning puzzle, capturing first place with a winning average of 4.15 seconds and setting the best single mark of the event at 3.64 seconds. Elliott Perkins claimed second place with an average of 4.58 seconds, while Mason Langenderfer picked up another podium finish by taking third in 4.90 seconds across the 25-person event.

Beyond the fight for top honors, the cubing competition provided a platform for competitors to achieve major milestones across several puzzle categories. Jeriyah Griffin logged a massive breakthrough in Megaminx, posting a personal best of 47.47 seconds that improved on their previous mark by 66 percent, while also securing a Skewb personal best of 4.84 seconds. Skyler McFeeter cut their Skewb personal record down to 20.64 seconds, a 45.3 percent drop, and improved their 3x3x3 Cube best to 1:17.02. Sammy Goldberg dropped their Skewb personal record by 28.2 percent to 7.78 seconds, and Aiden Zangmeister lowered their classic cube best to 25.55 seconds.

First-time event appearances also highlighted the depth of the roster throughout the morning. Ryan Meripe stepped up for their first WCA competition, successfully logging inaugural marks in three events including a 14.40 in Skewb, 2:37.48 in 4x4x4 Cube, and 40.58 in 3x3x3 Cube. Isaac Lee tackled three brand new disciplines, registering debut times of 2:19.44 in Megaminx, 53.60 in 4x4x4 Cube, and 10.77 in Skewb. Owen Johnson recorded first attempts in Skewb with a 15.65 and Megaminx with a 3:49.47, while Brennen Noll logged their first official Megaminx solve at 1:58.53.

The main event arrived as the traditional Rubik's Cube brought 29 entrants to the tables across two full rounds. The preliminary round featured sharp times throughout the field, with Aaron Feng logging an average of 9.76 seconds and Mason Langenderfer putting up a 10.00-second average. Solvers traded fast times across the tables as competitors looked to secure their spots in the final group of the day.

In the concluding round of the classic cube, the 3x3 results confirmed a triple triumph for Phillip Lewicki. He secured the championship with a winning average of 8.04 seconds, complemented by a round-best single of 6.51 seconds. Elliott Perkins earned the silver medal with a solid 9.00-second average, and Aaron Feng locked down bronze with an average of 10.37 seconds. United States competitors swept all 12 podium positions across the tournament.

The single-day meet concluded with competitors packing up their gear after an intense morning of speed cubing. Dublin Ohio Summer AM 2024 delivered high-level execution, milestone personal bests, and multiple gold medals in Columbus. As the 2024 season progresses, the performances from this speedcubing meet will stand as a benchmark of precision across all four featured disciplines.