Grizzly Awakening 2024

Thirty-two competitors assembled in Missoula, Montana, USA on May 4, 2024, for an action-packed slate of 17 rounds across eight official events. Grizzly Awakening 2024 brought a wave of substantial personal improvements to the University Center tables, as solvers pushed their limits across traditional and specialty puzzles alike. The cubing competition showcased sharp drops in times alongside top-tier execution across the board, setting a lively tone from the opening turns of the morning.

Luke Tycksen took centre stage throughout the tournament, securing first place in five separate disciplines. In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, Tycksen delivered the fastest marks of the day, logging a 6.50 best single and an exceptional 7.59 winning average across three rounds of play. The 3x3 results saw Ethan George Hayes claim the runner-up spot with an 8.65 average, while Clément Cherblanc finished third with a 9.05 average to round out an impressive podium.

Tycksen continued his dominant run in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping a field of 28 solvers with a 2.63 average and a 1.98 single. The contest came down to fractions of a second, as Hayes placed second with a 2.66 average and Lucas Chandler Moorehead took third at 3.19. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Tycksen stood atop the podium once again with a 10.93 average and a 9.92 single, outpacing Hayes at 13.82 and Samuel Williams at 18.47.

The big cube categories brought further honours for Tycksen, who conquered the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.18 average and a 24.27 single. Hayes followed in second place with 37.10, narrowly edging out Williams, who secured third at 37.26. Tycksen added a fifth victory in the 5x5x5 Cube, recording a 51.77 average and a 46.25 single. Cherblanc earned second place with 1:11.34, finishing just ahead of Hayes at 1:11.37 in a dramatic finish.

Beyond the multi-event sweeps, other specialists claimed coveted titles across the roster. Samuel Williams navigated the Pyraminx with precision, winning the two-round bracket with a 5.65 average and a 4.92 single over Cherblanc at 6.51 and Hayes at 7.85. In Skewb, Cherblanc captured the championship with a 4.76 average and a 3.38 single, ahead of Hayes at 5.79 and Tycksen at 6.65. The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event saw Ben Streeter solve unseen to win with a 1:21.25 average and a 1:10.90 single, beating Cherblanc at 1:13.63 and Hayes at 3:13.64.

The true heart of Grizzly Awakening 2024 lay in the extraordinary personal gains achieved across the ranks. Caleb Surdock delivered one of the weekend's biggest drops, carving 40.9 percent off his previous benchmark with a 49.66 in 4x4x4 Cube. Daniel Hewitt matched that upward trajectory across seven events, securing a 54.61 in 4x4x4 Cube to go 32.6 percent faster than before, while also finishing fifth in Pyraminx. Bryce O'Brien improved his 2x2x2 Cube time by 31.5 percent with a 13.03, alongside his first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 2:31.39. Owen Emory Stark trimmed 26.4 percent from his Skewb standard with a 6.86 and placed sixth in Pyraminx.

Breakthrough performances continued with Jackson Olmes, who took 21.7 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to hit 5.41 while taking his first attempts at Pyraminx and Skewb. Matthew Heng improved by 21.3 percent in 3x3x3 Cube to finish in 20.28, in addition to testing 3x3x3 One-Handed for the first time with a 44.97. Evan Long embraced a demanding six-event schedule, taking his first attempts at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:19.39 and 5x5x5 Cube in 2:51.27 while earning seventh in Pyraminx. Raman Uladymtsau also completed a versatile seven-event program, recording a first attempt at Pyraminx in 5.50 on the way to eighth place.

For several newcomers, the WCA competition marked an exciting debut on the official stage. Solvers like Mickey Nelson took on their first ever attempts across Pyraminx, 2x2x2 Cube, and 3x3x3 Cube, posting marks of 10.29, 11.90, and 44.70 respectively. Kellen Cabe made a strong opening statement with a 29.24 on the classic Rubik's Cube alongside a 14.73 in the 2x2x2 Cube, highlighting the ongoing growth of speed cubing in the region.

By the time the final awards were distributed, solvers from the United States had collected 19 podium places, while French competitors claimed five. From rapid-fire sprints to complex memorisation, the gathering celebrated both elite mastery and massive individual progress. Grizzly Awakening 2024 concluded as a memorable showcase of dedication and rapid improvement, giving every participant plenty of momentum heading into the remainder of the 2024 speedcubing calendar.