Hillsboro Favorites 2024

A mere fifty-five hundredths of a second decided the premier title at Hillsboro Favorites 2024, where Asher Kim-Magierek captured the 3x3x3 Cube crown with a blistering 6.62 final average over William Greninger's 7.17. The tension at the Hillsboro Public Library Brookwood was palpable as the top two solvers pushed each other to the limit, leaving Ezra Fish to claim third place at 8.12 seconds. Kim-Magierek also delivered the weekend's best single solve in the classic puzzle at 5.66 seconds, setting the tone for an intense day of competition.

The one-day WCA competition on June 15, 2024, brought together 83 competitors across 13 distinct disciplines in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA. Speedcubing enthusiasts tackled a busy schedule of 17 rounds, demonstrating precision and agility across both standard and non-standard twisty puzzles. The tight margins at the top of the 3x3 results mirrored battles across the roster, proving that every fraction of a second counted in this high-caliber Pacific Northwest gathering.

Kim-Magierek did not stop with the standard Rubik's Cube, turning his razor-sharp form into a multi-event showcase. He secured the top spot in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.18 average and an event-best 24.48 single, outpacing a 26-competitor field across two rounds. To cap off his commanding day, Kim-Magierek took first place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 11.46 average, highlighted by a 9.17 single solve in the one-handed speed cubing category.

The 2x2x2 Cube featured its own dazzling display of raw speed, led by Ian Cantius Fredric representing India. Fredric dominated the 60-person event with a winning average of 1.96 seconds, complementing his podium-topping mark with a 1.15 single. Aidan Lee secured second place on the podium with a 3.12 average, while Hahoon Kim of Korea locked up third place at 3.97, completing an international spread on the podium amid an otherwise American-dominated medal count.

Big cubes and specialty puzzles delivered equally thrilling contests throughout the venue. William Greninger matched Kim-Magierek's prowess by taking two titles of his own, capturing the 5x5x5 Cube with a 57.03 average ahead of Tyler Halgren's 1:00.76, and conquering the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:47.74. Halgren found redemption in the grueling 7x7x7 Cube, seizing victory in 2:50.04 over Daniel Yang's 3:05.13, while Yang struck gold in Megaminx with a smooth 43.62 average.

Away from the top of the podium, several solvers logged massive milestones across the schedule. Alexys Higgs delivered a standout personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 51.39 solve, slashing 49.3 percent off their previous mark, while also recording a first attempt at Skewb at 17.19. Liam Nelson demolished their former 3x3x3 Cube benchmark by 38.5 percent to finish in 19.72 seconds, alongside making a first attempt at Pyraminx with a 13.93. Liam Spratlen also made huge strides on the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a 23.65 personal best that was 32.7 percent faster than before, while taking 10th place in Skewb.

Max Simmons dropped their Pyraminx record by 29.9 percent to 4.27 seconds to take 7th place, in addition to making a first official 3x3x3 Cube attempt at 34.16. Isaac Marston cut 27.4 percent from their 3x3x3 Cube time to reach 24.20 and tackled Pyraminx for the first time at 8.32. Meanwhile, newcomers embraced the cubing competition atmosphere, with YuChang Yang entering four events in their first official outing and finishing 10th in Pyraminx with a 5.87 single. Fellow debutants AJ Espiritu and Oakley Zielsdorff both tackled four events, with Espiritu logging a 12.03 3x3x3 Cube solve for 14th in 2x2x2 Cube, and Zielsdorff clocking a 19.68 3x3x3 Cube effort.

Versatility remained on full display in the shorter disciplines and memory-intensive challenges. Ash Black produced a remarkable double, winning Skewb with a 3.18 average and taking the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title in 1:29.82, requiring total recall and flawless execution without sight. Benjamin Gottschalk showed similar range, earning top honors in Clock with a 9.22 average and claiming the Square-1 crown in 9.55 seconds. Tripp Peters added a victory in Pyraminx with a 2.30 winning mark.

As the final timers stopped, Hillsboro Favorites 2024 wrapped up as a testament to technical mastery and balanced competition. With 37 podium positions secured by United States competitors alongside international honors for India and Korea, the event highlighted the depth of talent currently thriving in Oregon speedcubing. Solvers departed Brookwood with new personal records in hand, already looking ahead to testing their skills across the upcoming competitive calendar.