Hawaiʻi Big Island Summer 2024

One hundredth of a second was all that stood between silver and bronze in the 2x2x2 Cube final, capturing the thrilling margins of the day. Held on August 10, 2024, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Hawaiʻi Big Island Summer 2024 brought together 27 competitors across seven distinct events and 12 total rounds. The 2x2x2 Cube showdown featured Dominic Shoji taking the gold medal with a blazing 2.28 winning average and a 1.77 single, but the race right behind him came down to the absolute wire. Jaidon Poraminthara Lin secured second place with an average of 3.79, edging past Evan Liu at 3.80 by a razor-thin 0.01-second margin.

The drama extended across the entire schedule in Hilo, Hawaii, USA, as the single-day WCA competition showcased top-tier talent and remarkable consistency. While Dominic Shoji commanded the shortest puzzle format, Evan Liu spent the rest of the day delivering masterclasses in multiple disciplines. Liu claimed victory in four separate events, demonstrating an exceptional range that stretched from mechanical speed puzzles to large layer configurations. His commanding presence in the premier event set the tone for the entire gathering, drawing attention from across the regional speed cubing community as athletes tackled a demanding series of heats.

In the classic Rubik's Cube main event, Liu produced the standout 3x3 results of the day to capture first place with a 9.39 winning average and a best single time of 7.63 across three rounds of play. Shoji pursued closely, earning the runner-up position on the podium with a 10.51 average, while Jaidon Poraminthara Lin took third place with a mark of 12.14. The trio of Liu, Shoji, and Lin repeatedly battled for the top steps of the podium throughout the afternoon, turning each round into an engaging test of speed and composure on the big stage.

Beyond the 3x3x3 Cube, Liu continued his gold rush in the Pyraminx, taking top honors with a 4.14 average and a 3.56 best single. Shoji again finished close behind in second place at 4.56, and Lin rounded out the podium in third with a 5.92 average. In Square-1, Liu captured another title with an 18.45 winning average and a best single of 13.33, while Shoji recorded a 21.81 for second and Lin took third with a 22.43. Liu added his fourth win in the 5x5x5 Cube, registering an average of 1:03.31 with a 55.20 single, finishing ahead of second-place Jaden Matsunaka at 1:35.01 and third-place Abhimanyu Singhal at 1:44.33.

The remaining events brought exciting variety to the program, featuring triumphs for other skilled competitors. Jaidon Poraminthara Lin topped the Clock leaderboard with an impressive winning average of 3.65 and a single of 3.12, holding off Shoji who took second with 4.34 and Liu who placed third with 5.76. In Skewb, TJ Kelly earned the championship victory with a crisp 4.40 winning average and a 3.64 single across two rounds, besting Shoji at 5.32 and Liu at 5.71. Every podium spot throughout the day was claimed by competitors representing the USA in an intense display of domestic speedcubing mastery.

Behind the headline winners, the undercard was filled with athletes achieving personal breakthroughs and expanding their competitive repertoires across multiple events. Rydin Nakatsu produced one of the most substantial leaps of the day, cutting down their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 4.38, which was 54.8 percent faster than their previous mark of 9.69, while also improving their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 18.82. Peter Michael Chilla delivered a 6.86 personal best in Pyraminx to trim 36.5 percent off an earlier best of 10.80. Oscar Reed dropped their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 36 percent to 21.14 while logging a first attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 10.52. Phoenix Yamashiro posted a Pyraminx personal best of 7.52, improving by 32.8 percent, and completed a first attempt at Clock in 25.01 to place ninth overall.

Other competitors took on extensive event loads and made successful debuts at the competition tables. Reggie Marcus Shropshire contested seven events, securing a best finish of sixth place in the 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 3.95 and completing a first Clock attempt in 18.09. Alex Saks tackled four events, setting personal bests in 3x3x3 Cube at 13.07, 5x5x5 Cube at 2:53.02, and 2x2x2 Cube at 4.16. Dylan Hetman registered a first attempt in Square-1 at 1:45.01 to secure tenth place, alongside a Pyraminx personal best of 8.42. Raven Felix competed in five events, highlighted by a seventh-place finish in Clock with a first attempt of 17.01, plus initial attempts of 6.34 in Skewb and 13.47 in Pyraminx.

The single-day meet highlighted how deeply competitive the region has become, featuring a balanced mix of seasoned tournament regulars and emerging talents testing their abilities on the clock. Every bracket delivered tight margins, culminating in Dominic Shoji and Evan Liu setting standard marks throughout the preliminary rounds of 2x2x2 Cube. As Hawaiʻi Big Island Summer 2024 wrapped up at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the event stood as an energetic celebration of precision, focus, and rapid solving in the 2024 season.