Flushing Open AM 2024

Parker Trager delivered the standout performance of the day by claiming top honors in two disciplines, sealed with a commanding 8.05 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube. The single-day tournament took place on November 24, 2024, at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing, New York, USA. Across 5 rounds of intense puzzle solving, a total of 41 competitors stepped up to the tables, turning the morning session into an action-packed showcase of speedcubing skill and precision.

For several participants in the field, this cubing competition served as an unforgettable introduction to the official World Cube Association circuit. Stepping into a WCA competition for the very first time brings the unmistakable tension of sitting before an official stackmat timer and the scrutiny of dedicated judges. While veterans chased gold, newcomers embraced the challenge of making their initial mark on the official leaderboards, experiencing the lively atmosphere that defines open tournament play in North America.

The 3x3x3 Cube brought 40 competitors together across two tightly contested rounds of classic Rubik's Cube solving. In the final round, Trager secured first place for the United States with that 8.05 average, supported by a blazing best single solve of 6.52. Jay Pharma took second place on the podium with an 8.66 average, while Matthew Liong of Indonesia rounded out the top three with an average of 9.53. The event generated significant excitement as competitors pushed their limits.

Earlier in the schedule, the first round of the 3x3x3 Cube produced a wide array of notable marks on the official 3x3 results sheet. Jay Pharma delivered an 8.27 average alongside a 7.59 single solve, while Trager logged a 9.24 average and a 6.90 single. Matthew Liong posted a 9.74 average and an 8.53 single, and Anurag Anapindi recorded a 9.76 average with an 8.84 single. Shota Fukuoka reached an 11.02 average with an 8.41 single, while Milan Vincent Andric posted an 11.39 average and a 10.77 single. Eli Rogers added an 11.57 average and a 9.37 single, Alex Maass notched an 11.61 average with a 9.84 single, Ian Liong scored an 11.78 average with a 10.09 single, and Lucas Valencia tallied a 12.80 average and a 10.54 single.

Behind the headline battles, Flushing Open AM 2024 served as a prime setting for personal milestones and competitive breakthroughs. Ryan Jian delivered a massive progression in the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 13.29, which was 29.2 percent faster than his previous mark, while also recording his first ever attempt at Megaminx with a time of 2:29.10. Felix Zhenghao Lin shaved 25.5 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube benchmark with a 16.65 personal best and logged an 8.82 in his first ever attempt at Pyraminx. Jayden Yang secured a 5.75 personal best in Pyraminx to improve by 24.1 percent, and Oskar Pfitsch Kawinski recorded a Megaminx time of 2:21.32, marking a 22.9 percent improvement over his earlier best.

The spirit of trying new puzzles and making debuts carried across the roster throughout the morning. Kyler Liang dropped his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 10.39, an improvement of 20.9 percent, while completing his first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 10.54 and Megaminx in 2:44.12. Evan Zhou took on three events in his first WCA competition, recording first-time marks of 9.68 in Pyraminx, 32.59 in the 3x3x3 Cube, and 2:36.15 in Megaminx. William Gao also completed his first tournament, establishing marks of 44.80 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 24.63 in Pyraminx. Fellow debutant Kinson Gao stepped up across two events, logging initial tournament results of 24.07 in Pyraminx and 33.33 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

Trager struck gold again in Pyraminx, leading a 32-competitor field across two rounds with an exceptional 2.82 winning average and the best single of the event at 1.72. Jay Pharma earned the silver medal position with a 3.32 average, securing his second runner-up finish of the day. Alex Maass claimed the third spot on the podium with a solid average of 3.41, completing a clean sweep of the Pyraminx podium for the United States speed cubing contingent.

The 12-sided Megaminx event provided the longest single-round contest of the program, featuring 21 competitors tackling the complex geometric puzzle. Matthew Liong of Indonesia captured the victory in dominant fashion, posting an impressive winning average of 40.56 alongside the best single solve of the event at 37.89. Trager finished second with a 49.01 average, adding a silver to his two gold medals, while Alicia Yu took third place with a 58.43 average.

Overall, the podium tally concluded with the United States collecting 7 podium finishes and Indonesia securing 2. Across all three featured events, Flushing Open AM 2024 provided an unforgettable day of competition for newcomers and seasoned competitors alike in New York. With first solves officially recorded, personal bests rewritten, and podiums celebrated, the 2024 tournament season moves forward with plenty of momentum.