Green Summer 2024

Solving complex puzzles under intense pressure demands unbroken concentration and meticulous execution, disciplines central to every major speedcubing meet. At Green Summer 2024, held on July 6, 2024, at Green Middle School in Uniontown, Ohio, USA, Luke Garrett delivered the day's defining performance by sweeping the premier 3x3x3 Cube event with a blistering winning average of 5.98 seconds. The one-day cubing competition gathered 48 competitors across five official events and 10 rounds of action, bringing elite speed cubing talent to the Akron-Canton region.

Garrett set the standard early in the classic Rubik's Cube contest, clocking a best single time of 4.42 seconds on his way to first place in the finals. Phillip Lewicki secured the runner-up spot with an average of 6.81 seconds, while Benjamin Pugh completed the podium in third place at 7.67 seconds. The 3x3 results highlighted the deep talent in attendance, as Garrett held off 47 challengers across three rigorous elimination rounds to take top honors for the flagship puzzle.

Garrett continued his dominant form in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, taking another gold medal with a winning average of 10.38 seconds and an event-best single of 8.41. Benjamin Pugh followed in second place with a mark of 13.33 seconds, narrowly edging Dylan Govic, who registered a 13.41-second average for third. Garrett's versatile solving abilities across multiple formats proved unmatched throughout the single-day WCA competition schedule in Ohio.

The short-format 2x2x2 Cube produced intense, fraction-of-a-second battles across 42 competitors. Zayn Khanani clinched the title with a rapid 1.37-second winning average, bolstered by a 0.78-second single. Hassan Khanani claimed the silver medal with a 1.60 average, while Sujan Feist earned bronze at 1.76 seconds. In preliminary and final rounds, solvers pushed the boundaries of the event, with Zayn Khanani notching a 0.97 average alongside sub-one-second singles from Garrett and Feist.

The side events delivered equally captivating finishes, beginning with Megaminx where Phillip Lewicki edged out Garrett in a razor-thin duel. Lewicki claimed victory with a 37.86-second average and a single of 35.41, just ahead of Garrett's 37.93 average, while Luke Griesser took third place at 47.56. In Square-1, Hassan Khanani mastered the shifting geometry of the puzzle to secure the win with a 5.95-second average and a 4.86 single, followed by Jacob Dyland Bennett at 7.96 and Garrett taking bronze at 10.73.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors logged remarkable personal milestones and breakthrough times across the venue. Trent Douglass delivered massive leaps forward, lowering his 2x2x2 personal best by 54.7 percent down to 2.67 seconds and cutting his 3x3x3 best by 49.5 percent to 9.66 seconds, alongside his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 39.52. Logan Queen shaved 37 percent off his 3x3x3 One-Handed record with a 43.06, improved his 3x3x3 mark by 21.9 percent to 19.72, and logged a first ever Megaminx attempt at 3:11.69. Marquise Osibodu dropped his Megaminx best by 20.4 percent to 1:28.52, while Jordan Boogaard reduced his 3x3x3 best by 19.5 percent to 13.24.

First-time attempts and versatile multi-event efforts added depth to the afternoon. Jude Grimminger recorded a 17.7 percent improvement in Megaminx at 1:41.88, cut his Square-1 best by 16.3 percent to 16.98, and made his first ever 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt at 45.35. David Wagner entered five separate events, posting his first Square-1 attempt of 1:18.24 and improving his One-Handed best by 14.7 percent to 31.63. Mithil Pauskar notched his first official marks in One-Handed with 25.35 and Square-1 with 32.13, while Benjamin Henry tackled four events in his first career competition, recording marks of 4.11 in 2x2x2, 18.73 in 3x3x3, and 50.40 in One-Handed.

With 15 podium places earned by United States competitors, the 2024 gathering in Uniontown closed out a memorable chapter of summer competition. Green Summer 2024 showcased both masterclass efficiency from seasoned champions and remarkable personal growth from the wider field. As the regional season progresses, the sharp times and milestones established at Green Middle School set a high benchmark for upcoming tournaments across the national circuit.