Hudson Valley Summer 2024

A winning average of 6.82 seconds decided the main event on September 8, 2024, as the Hyatt House Fishkill/Poughkeepsie hosted Hudson Valley Summer 2024. Across nine fast-paced rounds in Fishkill, New York, USA, 42 competitors gathered to test their skills at the classic Rubik's Cube and an assortment of complex twisty puzzles. The one-day speedcubing meet brought intense matchups across four official events, giving the Hudson Valley region a showcase of elite execution under tournament conditions.

The 3x3x3 Cube championship came down to the wire across three rounds of fierce play. Daniel Rose-Levine secured first place on the podium with his 6.82 mark, having logged an opening round average of 8.76 and a single of 7.48. Noah Kim pushed the pace relentlessly, setting a single of 6.74 and taking the second-place spot with a 7.16 average. Zavian Valedon rounded out the top tier with a 7.67 finals average after putting together a 7.45 single and 7.94 average in prior rounds, capping an electric race in the official 3x3 results.

The standard speed cubing event saw high-caliber solves all afternoon. Parker Trager contributed the best single of the entire 3x3x3 Cube event at 6.47 while putting up a 7.59 average. Jeffrey Chen delivered a scorching 5.65 single alongside a 7.82 average, while Alex Tompa notched a 7.64 single and 9.63 average. Henry Zhang logged an 8.62 single and 9.78 average, Chris Chi registered a 7.69 single and 9.87 average, Evan Liu turned in an 8.27 single and 9.93 average, and Zach Ridall added an 8.84 single with a 10.07 average.

Big cubes belonged entirely to Parker Trager, who authored an impressive multi-event sweep. In the 4x4x4 Cube, which drew 36 competitors across two rounds, Trager topped the field with a 31.26 average and a 27.75 single. Daniel Rose-Levine claimed second place with a 34.28 average, while Evan Liu locked up third on the podium with 36.98. The competition at the higher dimensions highlighted how precision control separates the leaders when layer turns multiply.

Trager carried that momentum straight into the 5x5x5 Cube, besting 32 competitors over two rounds to secure another gold. A winning average of 56.62 and a single of 55.71 kept Trager well ahead of the pack. Evan Liu earned the runner-up position with a 58.40 average, and Elvin Xu took the third step on the podium with a steady 1:05.18. The performance completed a dominant demonstration on the larger hardware throughout the Hudson Valley gathering.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, the WCA competition offered plenty of breakthrough moments that scoreboards alone cannot capture. Jalen Shareef tackled four separate events, lowering a Square-1 personal best to 24.35 to register a 63 percent improvement, cutting 3x3x3 times by 26.6 percent down to 11.24, and recording a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 1:06.97. Bryan Chen also made huge strides in Square-1, shaving 53.5 percent off a personal best with a 19.00 solve, alongside a 9.22 in 3x3x3 and a 1:50.20 in 5x5x5. Bode Lee made a 35.8 percent leap in 4x4x4 Cube with a 52.73 and improved by 18.5 percent in 3x3x3 with a 7.98.

Fresh puzzle territory brought memorable efforts across the floor. Alex Tompa took on four events, logging a 49.59 in 4x4x4 for an 8.2 percent personal best while completing a first ever attempt at Square-1 in 40.86 and a first 5x5x5 Cube try in 2:23.02. Alex J. Barbecho dropped a 5x5x5 personal best by 29.6 percent down to 1:30.02. Cameron Lee showed strong all-around form across three events, lowering a 5x5x5 mark by 20.9 percent to 1:37.14. First-time tournament entrants also made their mark, with Anand Venkatesh finishing a first 3x3x3 solve in 17.58 and Logan Yosh recording an initial 3x3x3 time of 36.77.

The day concluded with Square-1, where Zach Ridall captured the title among 23 competitors over two rounds. Ridall posted a winning average of 7.84 and the day's best single of 6.67. Chris Chi followed closely in second with an 8.58 average, while Parker Trager earned a third podium appearance of the afternoon by finishing third at 11.30. United States competitors swept all 12 podium spots across the four disciplines.

With fast turnarounds and tightly contested finishes in every bracket, Hudson Valley Summer 2024 served as a shining example of regional cubing competition vitality. From first-time competitors stepping up to the timer to seasoned finalists battling down to the last tenth of a second, the Fishkill meet delivered top-tier action across the board.