FMC and What Calgary 2024

Three minutes, nine seconds and ninety-eight hundredths of a second was all the time Lucas Kuczaj needed to tame the massive 7x7x7 Cube at FMC and What Calgary 2024. Long-form puzzles demand sustained concentration, physical endurance, and absolute mechanical precision, turning each solving attempt into an exhausting test of stamina. Across fourteen competitors in the big-cube discipline, Kuczaj set the benchmark with an impressive single solve of 2:49.05 on his way to securing the title with a 3:09.98 average.

The single-day WCA competition took place on November 23, 2024, at the Highland Park Community Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A tight-knit contingent of 19 competitors gathered to tackle 5 diverse events spanning 7 rounds of intense speedcubing. Big-cube specialists found themselves pushed to their limits in the 7x7x7 showdown, where Ryan Yasinko secured second place with a 3:28.62 average and Sam Edwards took third on the podium with a mark of 3:36.19.

While the large layers of the seven-layer puzzle required heavy lifting, competitors at FMC and What Calgary 2024 also tackled events that tested vastly different skill sets. Ryan Yasinko enjoyed a remarkable weekend, capturing multiple titles across the shorter formats. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Yasinko climbed to the top of an 18-competitor field across two rounds, registering a winning average of 3.05 alongside a rapid 2.50 single. Danny Buschert took second place at 3.17, followed closely by Leif Anvik in third at 3.18.

Yasinko repeated his winning ways in the Square-1 competition, taking first place among 15 entrants over two rounds with a solid 13.15 average and a best single solve of 11.65. Mirko Petrovic claimed the second step on the podium with a 14.08 average, while Danny Buschert captured another podium finish with a 14.50 average for third place. Yasinko demonstrated impressive versatility throughout the event, backing up his endurance on the large puzzles with rapid mechanical execution on shape-shifting twists.

The analytical depth of speed cubing was fully on display during 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, where competitors spent an hour crafting optimal step-by-step solutions for traditional Rubik's Cube scrambles. Azaro Gorloo led the 16-person field with a 32.33 winning average and a single solve of 30 moves, generating impressive 3x3 results on paper. Ethan Basanov earned second place with a 34.33 average, while Danny Buschert placed third with 34.67.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable breakthroughs across their official events. Niels Nijstad entered 5 disciplines and delivered a standout Square-1 personal best of 33.89 seconds, slicing his previous record by 57 percent, while also improving his Fewest Moves best to 40. Cache Adams tackled 5 events, taking on their first ever attempts at 7x7x7 Cube with a 7:32.89 single and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a mark of 58. Max Macdonald made a first attempt at Fewest Moves with 65 moves, and Anthony Finnigan delivered a 4th-place finish in Square-1 alongside a 19.1 percent personal best improvement in Fewest Moves to 38.

Other personal milestones highlighted the determination throughout the venue. John J. Kim took on 2 events and lowered his Clock mark to 26.81, an improvement of 32.5 percent over his previous best. Landon Carter improved his Square-1 benchmark by 24.8 percent to 20.83, while Bryce Miller registered a Clock personal best of 4.69 seconds, shaving 29.8 percent off his prior standard. Jacob Swartz competed across 5 disciplines, securing a 7x7x7 Cube personal best of 7:49.51 to improve his record by 6.3 percent.

Azaro Gorloo added another victory to his ledger in the Clock event, finishing atop the 17-competitor lineup with a 5.18 average and a best single of 4.22. Lucas Kuczaj earned the silver medal in the event with a 6.02 average, while Danny Buschert completed his busy podium haul by taking third place with a 7.31 mark. Across all five disciplines, Canadian competitors secured all fifteen podium spots available during the gathering.

The action-packed schedule at FMC and What Calgary 2024 showed the full range of modern Rubik's Cube disciplines, from grueling marathon layers to rapid, high-speed turning. Competitors left the Highland Park Community Centre with substantial personal milestones, setting a positive tone as they prepare for the next cubing competition season in 2024 and beyond.