Golden Touch 2024

The tables at Bell Middle School filled early on October 5, 2024, as competitors unpackaged puzzle bags and calibrated timers across nine scheduled rounds of play. Long journeys brought solvers from across the state and beyond to Golden, Colorado, USA, filling the hall with the rhythmic clatter of plastic pieces and focused preparation. For sixty-three participants, the single-day gathering represented an intensive test across five distinct World Cube Association events, drawing seasoned contenders alongside enthusiastic newcomers eager to leave their mark on the official ledger.

The main draw of any cubing competition remains the traditional Rubik's Cube, and the 3x3 results at Golden Touch 2024 lived up to the billing through a competitive field of sixty-three solvers. Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel delivered the standout performance of the event, capturing first place with a winning average of 8.04 seconds alongside the weekend's best single solve of 5.91 seconds. Raymos Castillo secured the runner-up spot with a 9.00 average and a 6.75 single, while Miles Walcott claimed third place on the podium with an average of 9.12 seconds.

Beyond the main event, speedcubing enthusiasts followed the tactical challenges of 3x3x3 One-Handed, where forty-one competitors tackled the puzzle using a single hand. Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel doubled his championship haul at Golden Touch 2024 by taking the title with a winning average of 17.67 seconds and a best single mark of 14.21 seconds. Raymos Castillo followed closely in second position with an average of 18.58 seconds, while Evan Wilson completed the top three with an 18.81 average after two hard-fought rounds.

The side events provided varied challenges throughout the day, drawing substantial fields across mechanical variants. In Skewb, Liam Finn McCool Kelly rose to the top of forty-seven entrants, winning the final with an average of 4.27 seconds and a single of 2.86 seconds, ahead of Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel with 4.65 and William Mitchell with 5.41. The Clock event saw Kaemon Vita claim victory among forty-six participants with a 4.29 average, holding off Raymos Castillo at 5.67 and Alayna Garrett at 6.06. In Square-1, Kian Cline took first place with a 10.94 average, besting Michael Vanner at 12.42 and Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel at 13.23.

Away from the top steps of the podium, personal milestones shaped the experience for dozens of participants throughout the day. Jacob Faulkner tackled five different disciplines and posted a massive 68.9% drop in Skewb with a personal best of 3.80 seconds, down from 12.20, while also cutting his Square-1 best by 47.4% to 41.55 seconds. Anaiah Carroll took on four events, securing a 47% reduction in Square-1 down to 35.33 seconds alongside a first ever attempt at Skewb of 9.32 seconds and a 16th-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Rowan Lighthouse achieved a 46.6% improvement on Square-1 with a time of 41.65 seconds and logged a first official Skewb attempt of 10.56 seconds.

That same progress appeared across the scoresheets as competitors expanded their event rosters. Kunwoo Kim delivered a 46.6% improvement in Clock to register a personal best of 9.10 seconds and took 11th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Mateo Villarreal cut 28.3% off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a mark of 14.86 seconds and posted a first Clock result of 19.08 seconds. Nolan Hauser dropped his 3x3x3 Cube time by 26% to 33.05 seconds while recording a first Skewb solve of 7.34 seconds. First-time appearances brought fresh energy to the hall, with Noah Hunkins completing a first official WCA competition with an 18.50 single in 3x3x3 Cube, and Beth Lighthouse recording a first 3x3x3 Cube attempt of 1:26.93.

The single-day schedule demanded sharp consistency across every round, challenging competitors to maintain focus through multiple formats. United States competitors locked down all fifteen podium spots across the five events, demonstrating remarkable depth throughout the brackets. Each solved state represented hours of home practice brought successfully to the official stage under the strict observation of WCA regulations.

The successful conclusion of Golden Touch 2024 at Bell Middle School capped an intensive day of speed cubing in Colorado. With multiple personal bests established and fresh milestones logged across five puzzle formats, participants left with new benchmarks to guide their training toward the next season of competitive play.