Hiroshima Winter 2024

A total of 111 competitors assembled in Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan on February 10, 2024, setting the stage for a dramatic single-day speedcubing showcase across four distinct disciplines. Staged at the まなびの館ローズコム venue, the event packed nine full rounds of competition into a demanding schedule. Enthusiasts traveled from across the region to test their solving speed in high-stakes elimination rounds. The atmosphere built toward the premier 3x3x3 Cube final, where every split second at the timing mat carried immense weight.

The 3x3 results culminated in an electrifying three-round battle featuring 110 competitors aiming for the top of the podium. Ao Nogami delivered under pressure in the final solve sequence, clinching first place with a standout 6.82 winning average and a best single of 6.22. India speed cubing contender Amey Gaba pushed the pace throughout the round, taking the runner-up position with a 7.73 average. Takahiro Aoki rounded out the podium in third place with an 8.90 average, concluding an intense test of nerve on the traditional Rubik's Cube.

Beyond the main event, the cubing competition brought rapid-fire action in the shorter formats. In the Pyraminx division, 42 competitors faced off across two rounds of sharp turning. Aoto Mashimo emerged victorious, locking down the gold medal with a blistering 2.13 winning average alongside a best single of 1.79. Hajime Miyazaki claimed second place with a 2.96 mark, while Takahiro Aoki collected his second podium of the day by securing third place with an average of 3.20.

The technical challenges continued with Skewb, where 30 competitors contested two rounds of corner-turning precision. Noriyuki Okada set the benchmark for the field, winning the event with an impressive 2.90 average and an event-best single of 2.02. Ao Nogami added to his medal collection by securing the silver medal with a 5.05 average, followed closely by Shoichi Wajima in third place at 5.75. The discipline demanded flawless execution, and the finalists delivered clean solves under intense time constraints.

Endurance and pattern recognition took center stage in the Megaminx event, drawing 30 competitors across two rounds of twelve-sided solving. Masayuki Hirai captured the title with a commanding 34.23 winning average and the best single of the event at 32.15. Yusuke Takada followed in second place with an average of 41.89, while Ao Nogami secured his third individual podium of the tournament by finishing third with a 45.29 average at Hiroshima Winter 2024.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the tournament floor. Fumitaka Nakamura entered two events, logging a career-first attempt at Pyraminx with a 5.24 mark to claim a personal-best 12th-place finish, alongside a massive 81.5 percent improvement on his 3x3x3 Cube personal best down to 10.40. Makoto Asano entered two events and sliced 51.5 percent off his Skewb best with a 7.35, while trimming his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 23.28. Shinichi Ono tackled three events, cutting his Skewb personal record by 51.1 percent to 11.24 and lowering his Pyraminx time to 8.13. Hanato Kuse entered one event and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best by 49.7 percent to 13.15.

The personal breakthroughs continued across the roster throughout the afternoon. Miu Sonoda took on three events, logging a first ever attempt at Skewb with a 15.80, while cutting 41.7 percent from her 3x3x3 Cube record down to 19.51 and improving her Pyraminx mark to 17.33. Ibuki Komeda tackled two events, producing a first attempt at Skewb of 9.35 and improving his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 37.5 percent to 16.62. Mieko Isomoto competed in two events, recording a first Pyraminx attempt of 15.66 and a 25 percent reduction in 3x3x3 Cube down to 27.22. Kotaro Sumi entered three events, marking a debut Skewb time of 17.02 and a 15.2 percent improvement on 3x3x3 Cube to 32.22.

The overall medal tally reflected intense domestic competition, with Japanese solvers claiming 11 of the 12 available podium positions, alongside one podium finish for India. Across every discipline, this official WCA competition highlighted both elite speed and personal growth. Hiroshima Winter 2024 delivered a memorable chapter for the local community in Fukuyama, leaving competitors with new milestones as the speedcubing circuit moves forward into the 2024 season.

111名の選手が集結したHiroshima Winter 2024は、2024年2月10日にFukuyama, Hiroshima, Japanのまなびの館ローズコムで開催された。全4種目9ラウンドにわたって繰り広げられた熱戦は、スピードキュービング界の精鋭たちが限られた試技の中で頂点を競い合う緊張感に満ちた週末となった。

花形種目である3x3x3 Cubeには110名のエントリーがあり、3ラウンド制で競われた。この頂上決戦を制したのはAo Nogami (野上碧)で、決勝で記録したwinning average 6.82とbest single 6.22で見事な優勝を果たした。2位にはwinning single 6.10を記録したAmey Gaba (India)が7.73で入り、3位には8.90のTakahiro Aoki (青木尊弘)が続いた。

Ao Nogami (野上碧)の勢いはメイン種目にとどまらなかった。Megaminxではwinning average 34.23とbest single 32.15を叩き出したMasayuki Hirai (平井雅之)が頂点に立ち、Yusuke Takada (高田祐介)が41.89で2位、Ao Nogami (野上碧)が45.29で3位に入った。さらにSkewbでもAo Nogami (野上碧)は5.05を記録して2位に入り、単日開催の大会で驚異的なマルチポディウムを達成した。

そのSkewb部門を制したのはNoriyuki Okada (岡田典之)で、圧倒的なwinning average 2.90とbest single 2.02をマークして頂点に君臨した。3位には5.75のShoichi Wajima (輪島匠一)が入賞している。またPyraminxではAoto Mashimo (眞下蒼人)がwinning average 2.13、best single 1.79というハイペースな試技で優勝を掴み取り、Hajime Miyazaki (宮崎朔)が2.96で2位、Takahiro Aoki (青木尊弘)が3.20で3位表彰台を獲得した。

表彰台争奪戦の裏側では、自己ベストの大幅更新や新種目への挑戦を成し遂げた競技者たちのドラマが存在した。Eriya Watanabe (渡邉領耶)は3x3x3 Cubeで従来の40.26から36.8パーセント短縮する25.43の自己ベストを記録した。Haru Endo (遠藤羽琉)も同種目で39.33から36.5パーセント縮めて24.96を叩き出した。Yuko Aoyagi (青柳裕子)は3種目に出場し、Skewbで8.73から29.9パーセント短縮の6.12をマーク、Yunshan Zhang (张云山)はPyraminxの初挑戦で6.29、3x3x3 Cubeで14.9パーセント向上の10.68を記録した。

初出場のWCA competitionとなった選手たちもルービックキューブをはじめとする各ステージで躍動した。Ryunosuke Akiba (秋場竜之介)は4種目に出場してMegaminxで5位に入り、Skewbの初挑戦で5.13、Pyraminxで4.91、3x3x3 Cubeで8.34を残した。Seiya Matsuyama (松山聖哉)はPyraminxで5.98、3x3x3 Cubeで10.75、Megaminxで56.33を初記録した。Pravinjoelraj JoashElrad (India)は3種目でPyraminx 10.64、3x3x3 Cube 18.30、Skewb 16.13を記録し、Hiroaki Aoki (青木弘明)もPyraminx 20.39、Skewb 19.50、3x3x3 Cube 39.41を完走した。

日本勢が11、インド勢が1という国別表彰台獲得数を刻んだHiroshima Winter 2024は、各ラウンドの厳格なフォーマットの中で選手たちが培った技術を存分に発揮する舞台となった。3x3x3 CubeではJunnosuke Takahashi (髙橋淳之介)、Yuki Nomura (野村優希)、Kohdai Kusatani (草谷幸大)、Tomohiro Kobayashi (小林知広)らも好記録を揃えて大会を盛り上げた。

4つの異なるパズル種目すべてで熱戦が繰り広げられた福山市での大会は、トップ層のスピード勝負から初参戦組の挑戦まで多彩な成果を生み出して幕を閉じた。次のシーズンへ向けて、キュービング大会の舞台で培われた確かな記録と経験は各選手にとって大きな糧となる。