Haʻihaʻi Noʻonoʻo ʻo Honolulu 2024

A blistering 19.30-second single in 3x3x3 Blindfolded by Anto Kam stood out as the sharpest individual moment of the weekend, yet the broader story was defined by disciplined, unwavering consistency. Solvers who controlled their rounds across multiple attempts repeatedly took the top step. Held on May 12, 2024, at the Manoa Public Library in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, Haʻihaʻi Noʻonoʻo ʻo Honolulu 2024 brought together 12 competitors for a tightly focused day of specialist events. The intimate lineup demanded steady nerves and flawless execution across ten total rounds of competition.

Across seven diverse events, the cubing competition rewarded competitors whose averages outlasted volatile single-solve surges. Rather than relying on lucky breaks or fleeting turn speeds, title contenders had to build reliable foundations. The program shifted the spotlight away from standard speed events toward memory, precision mechanics, and structural analysis. In an environment where every small slip carries huge penalties, steady pacing proved to be the ultimate separator. Participants faced everything from multi-layered blind solving to efficiency puzzles, creating an intense test of mental endurance.

Travis Dumaran delivered a clinic in measured control across multiple disciplines, claiming two gold medals through steady execution. In Clock, Dumaran locked down first place with a 7.07 winning average across two rounds, backed by a best single of 6.40, keeping him clear of runner-up Jack Okazaki at 8.46 and Chris Martin at 9.34. Dumaran repeated his measured approach on the twelve-sided Megaminx, compiling a 56.14 winning average and a 46.98 single to hold off Enzo Xuan, who finished on a 1:05.54 average, and Dylan Govic at 1:13.15.

Fewest Moves offered the purest demonstration of technical consistency over three demanding attempts. Timothy Lawrance secured the top spot on the podium with a disciplined 29.00 average, anchored by a best single of 27 moves. While other competitors found strong individual solutions, Lawrance avoided any costly outliers across the full slate. Travis Dumaran earned second place with a 36.67 average, including a single of 34, while Anto Kam claimed third place with a 37.00 average and a best solve of 34 moves in the efficiency event.

Away from the top steps of the podium, dedicated competitors generated significant progress across their personal records. Anthony Carrillo took on four events, highlighted by a fifth-place finish in Megaminx where a new personal best of 1:22.86 marked a 15.7 percent drop from a previous 1:38.29, alongside a Clock best of 13.10 that was 25.2 percent faster than his prior 17.52 mark, and his first ever official attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a count of 59. Jaden Matsunaka also tackled four events, earning sixth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded while setting personal records of 14.53 in Clock and 1:43.43 in Megaminx.

The blindfolded categories tested concentration under the most unforgiving parameters, requiring memorisation before blind execution. Anto Kam took victory in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 19.30 single, outlasting Timothy Lawrance at 2:18.84 and TJ Kelly at 2:54.65. With no competitors completing full averages in the blindfolded events, single times determined the final rankings. In the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event, Lawrance secured gold with a 5:22.44 single, edging out David Akamine who recorded a 6:53.52 single, while the remaining contenders did not record a finish.

David Akamine persevered through the immense challenge of 5x5x5 Blindfolded, capturing first place with a calculated single time of 18:27.00. The long-form puzzle proved exceptionally punishing for the small field, with Lawrance and Kam both unable to register a completed attempt. Akamine's composed execution stood as the lone successful solve of the round, rewarding patience and methodical memory systems over hasty pacing during the rigorous blindfolded sequence.

In Square-1, Taitum Tanouye displayed smooth adaptability to claim first place with a 20.36 average, supported by a round-best 15.28 single. Jack Okazaki took second place with a 23.32 average, while Travis Dumaran added to his medal haul by securing third place on a 24.51 average. The shape-shifting puzzle wrapped up a dynamic schedule where every entrant had ample opportunities to test their training across specialised apparatuses.

By the conclusion of Haʻihaʻi Noʻonoʻo ʻo Honolulu 2024, solvers from the USA had gathered 14 podium positions, while competitors representing South Africa and Hong Kong earned 4 podium places each. For enthusiasts tracking speedcubing developments, Rubik's Cube variations and specialized disciplines continue to highlight the value of repeatable, rock-solid routines over unpredictable burst pace. As another successful WCA competition in the islands wrapped up, the steady hands and methodical preparation of the field left a lasting impression on the regional speed cubing community as they look forward to the next season of competition.