Kew Clock Clash 2024

A display of extraordinary memory and execution stunned the floor at Kew Library when Michael Tripodi registered 35 solved puzzles out of 45 attempts in a single hour of 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Solving dozens of puzzles without sight requires absolute mental discipline, pure spatial awareness, and flawless recall under a ruthless countdown clock. Tripodi outpaced Tam Quan, who managed 21 out of 26 in 58:57, and Charlie Eggins, who secured third place with 20 out of 27 in 57:28. The feat captured the intense concentration demanded across every category throughout the action-packed weekend.

Held across September 14 and 15 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Kew Clock Clash 2024 brought together 34 competitors across 10 official events and 18 intense rounds of play. While standard Rubik's Cube formats test raw turning speed, the specialized schedule emphasized complex variants and sightless execution. As an elite WCA competition, the meeting drew top specialists ready to test their mental endurance across big cubes, blindfolded disciplines, and twisty side events in an atmosphere of rigorous focus.

Charlie Eggins delivered a phenomenal showcase across the sightless events, capturing first place in two separate categories. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Eggins topped the standings with a winning single of 15.71 seconds, finishing ahead of Tam Quan at 19.36 seconds and Michael Tripodi at 21.17 seconds. Eggins also established an exceptional 14.66 single and an average of 17.83 during the rounds. These sightless 3x3 results demonstrated world-class mastery of blindfolded algorithms and memorisation, proving why speedcubing fans revere this exacting discipline.

Eggins carried that same composure into 4x4x4 Blindfolded, claiming victory with a rapid single of 1:26.39. Swami Srinivasan took the runner-up spot in 5:15.99, while Lennon Hughes earned third with a time of 5:29.17. The extreme 5x5x5 Blindfolded event proved equally punishing for the field, leaving five finalists with unfinished attempts. Chenhao Sun prevailed to win the title with a single time of 9:04.11, while Swami Srinivasan finished second in 11:50.00.

Beyond the sightless events, traditional speed cubing hardware saw remarkable times at the tables. Harrison Jonathan Newbery-Chunn claimed a big-cube sweep, winning the 6x6x6 Cube with an average of 1:55.26 and the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 2:51.26. Phoenix Patterson had a standout cubing competition, capturing first place in Square-1 with a 9.47 average and winning the 5x5x5 Cube with a 1:04.56 average. Darcy Way dominated Megaminx with a winning average of 38.78, while Zayd Chaudhry won Clock with a crisp 4.47 average.

Away from the title clashes, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule. Evan Sergi produced a massive leap in Megaminx, dropping his previous best by 50.6 percent to record 2:00.80, while also improving his 5x5x5 Cube best to 2:14.12. Benjamin Kao lowered his Square-1 mark by 38.1 percent down to 19.50 and cut his Clock mark to 4.56 on the way to a sixth-place finish. Daniel Patton carved 25.5 percent off his Clock standard to reach 9.40, while Andrew Davidge tackled his first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube with a 7:05.37 and lowered his Square-1 best to 24.43.

The progress continued across all levels of experience in Melbourne. Harvey Welsford completed his first ever official attempt at 7x7x7 Cube with a time of 6:50.34, alongside a 19.4 percent improvement in 6x6x6 Cube to 4:20.34 and a Megaminx personal best of 1:28.49. William Herring ventured into Clock for the first time with a mark of 7.46 and trimmed his Megaminx best to 2:16.84. Peter Au took fifth place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded while slashing 21.3 percent from his personal best with a 14:41.00, and Gemma Tolhurst improved her Clock record by 23.2 percent to finish with a time of 10.04.

With 30 podium positions claimed by competitors from Australia alongside international honors earned by Spain and China, Kew Clock Clash 2024 concluded as a resounding triumph for the local scene. The blend of extreme sightless memory feats and lightning-quick turning demonstrated the incredible range within modern puzzle solving. As the 2024 season moves forward, the memorable performances set in Melbourne will serve as inspiration for the next wave of ambitious cubers.