Fullerton Winter 2024

One hundred and forty-three competitors converged on Sunny Hills High School for a packed day of speedcubing on February 24, 2024. The single-day WCA competition brought together solvers across five distinct events and ten rounds in Fullerton, California, USA. By the conclusion of the event, the host nation established overwhelming dominance across the board. Competitors representing the United States claimed nine of the fifteen available podium positions, setting a commanding tone throughout the contest.

The 2024 showdown at Fullerton Winter 2024 delivered exceptional displays at the top of the standings. Max Park led the charge for the home contingent, securing victories across both traditional and specialty formats. In the 3x3x3 Cube, Park claimed the top spot with a winning average of 5.42 seconds alongside a single solve of 4.91 seconds. Korea competitor Kyeongmin Choi took second place with an average of 8.03, while Alexander Anikin representing Russia earned third place with an average of 8.22.

Park doubled his gold tally in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, navigating a field of 76 entrants to capture first place with a 10.13 average and a tournament-best single of 8.79. Choi secured another silver medal with a 13.68 average, while American competitor Aileen Vo completed the podium with a 15.57 mark. Across three rounds of standard Rubik's Cube action and two rounds of one-handed solving, the battle for top placements remained intense, producing sharp times across the 3x3 results table.

The blindfolded categories featured a commanding showcase from American solver Graham Siggins. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors rely on total memorisation before donning a blindfold, Siggins captured first place with an impressive single solve of 17.96 seconds. Choi followed in second place at 38.96 seconds, while Anthony Lauro of the United States finished third at 43.27 seconds. Siggins extended his mastery into the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, completing 57 out of 64 cubes in a time of 57:30 to secure another gold.

Korea's Kyeongmin Choi delivered a remarkably versatile day of speed cubing, appearing on all five podiums. In addition to four runner-up finishes, Choi captured the Megaminx title by registering a winning average of 32.41 seconds and a best single of 28.80 across two rounds. American solvers Terrence Cao and Jack Flynn Stewart locked up the remaining podium spots in the twelve-sided puzzle event, finishing with averages of 42.68 and 45.38 seconds respectively.

Away from the medal ceremonies, a large contingent of competitors achieved significant milestones across multiple disciplines. Bradley Chiu delivered a massive improvement in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a personal best of 31.73 that was 66 percent faster than his prior mark, alongside a 28.9 percent drop in Megaminx to 1:48.51. Nathaneil Gaede took on four events, logging his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 4:08.83 and his first 3x3x3 One-Handed solve at 21.18, while dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 7 percent to 12.16. Jake White completed his first ever attempt at Megaminx in 4:12.56 and cut his 3x3x3 Cube best by 27.2 percent down to 16.85.

Other dedicated solvers marked great strides throughout Fullerton Winter 2024. Michael Ip made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 39.98 while trimming 25.9 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to hit 13.18. Alejandro Garcia entered three events, posting a first ever attempt in Megaminx of 2:17.97 and improving his 3x3x3 Cube best by 19.3 percent to 12.09. Alex McIntosh tackled three events, finishing 12th in Megaminx with a first ever attempt of 57.67 while cutting his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 15.2 percent to 19.86. Kevin Luu posted first career attempts in Megaminx at 1:36.04 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 20.18, also achieving 16th place in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 7.20. Russian solver Vsevolod Rozanov took on four events, earning 6th place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, recording a first Megaminx attempt of 2:08.46, and lowering his 3x3x3 Blindfolded best by 14.5 percent to 3:42.16.

The high level of execution throughout the day highlighted the depth of talent present at this major cubing competition. With national representation spanning the United States, Korea, and Russia across five different disciplines, the gathering in Orange County provided an exceptional showcase of technical skill, focus, and rapid execution. As the season progresses, the performances registered across all ten rounds stand as a high benchmark for future regional fixtures.