Honolulu Hāʻulelau 2024

Matty Hiroto Inaba delivered a masterclass at Noelani Elementary School on September 21, 2024, securing the premier title with a blistering 6.27 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube after uncorking a single solve of 4.76 seconds. The performance set the standard for a packed day of action at Honolulu Hāʻulelau 2024, where forty-four competitors gathered in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA to test their skills across seven different events and thirteen rigorous rounds.

Behind the smooth schedule was a dedicated crew of organizers, delegates, and staff members who transformed the elementary school venue into a buzzing arena of speedcubing excellence. Managing hundreds of solves across multiple disciplines demands precision, and the team ensured that every round ran seamlessly from morning to evening. Their work provided the foundation for every personal triumph and podium battle achieved on the competition floor.

The flagship Rubik's Cube division drew the entire forty-four-person field through three intense rounds. When the 3x3 results were finalized, Inaba claimed the top spot on the podium for the United States, followed by Japan's Yoji Ogura in second with an 8.29 average and Taitum Tanouye in third with a 10.07 mark. Inaba continued his dominant run across the larger and specialty puzzles, capturing victory in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 22.67 average and taking the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown with a 10.84 average.

Tanouye proved to be an equal force across the schedule, earning multiple podium finishes and collecting two outright wins. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Tanouye took first place with a 3.67 average, edging out Enzo Xuan's 3.91 and Theo Masahiro Hirano's 3.97 in the final round. Tanouye added another gold medal in the Pyraminx, logging a winning average of 5.45 to lead runner-up Anthony Carrillo and third-place finisher Jack Okazaki.

Okazaki also left a major mark on the weekend, securing two event victories of his own. In the Skewb event, Okazaki captured the title with a 5.64 average over Carrillo and Xuan. In the Clock division, Okazaki posted a 7.67 winning average to edge out Chris Martin's 7.99 average and Xuan's 10.01 mark. Across all seven disciplines, American competitors claimed twenty podium positions, while Japan earned one in a spirited day of speed cubing.

Beyond the podium battles, Honolulu Hāʻulelau 2024 highlighted the personal breakthroughs of competitors across the field. Raven Felix delivered massive improvements across five events, dropping their Pyraminx personal best to 6.54 seconds, which was 51.4 percent faster than before, while also cutting their 3x3x3 Cube best to 15.07, a 35.6 percent drop, and finishing fourth in Skewb. Riley McDowell set a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 26.57, improving by 40.5 percent, and made their first ever official attempts in Pyraminx with a 5.83 single and Skewb with a 22.76 single.

Skyler Nguyen took on all seven events on the schedule, setting a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 1:39.53, an improvement of 39.4 percent, while also recording a 30.9 percent drop to 4.38 on the 2x2x2 Cube and making a first Clock attempt with a 16.49 single. Barton Felipe cut their Pyraminx best by 37.7 percent to 7.49 and improved their Skewb mark by 26.7 percent to 6.22. Nico Nakama took on six events, recording first attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 35.90, Pyraminx at 4.46, and Skewb at 10.26. Owen D. Henderson V achieved a 23.25 personal best on the 3x3x3 Cube, an improvement of 29.2 percent, while Landon Luna made their WCA competition debut with an opening 3x3x3 Cube solve of 14.63. Michael Ching also tackled their first official tournament, recording first attempts across three disciplines including a 23.70 in 2x2x2 Cube.

The 2024 cubing competition in Honolulu concluded with an impressive showcase of camaraderie and focus from every competitor and official involved. From the first turn of the morning to the final solve of the evening, the tournament exemplified the spirit of the local community. The success of Honolulu Hāʻulelau 2024 sets a high bar as solvers across the island look ahead to the next season of competition.