Kiama Winter 2024

Inside The Pavilion Kiama, the rhythmic clatter of plastic mechanisms filled the coastal air as 69 competitors gathered for an intense single day of puzzle solving. Timers flashed green across the competition floor, judges raised scorecards after every solve, and families watched from the perimeter of the staging area. For many stepping up to the mats, the morning routine brought the distinctive thrill of stepping onto an official tournament stage for the very first time, surrounded by the focused energy of a bustling cubing competition.

Kiama Winter 2024 brought a dynamic slate of four official events to Kiama, New South Wales, Australia on June 1, 2024. Across eight rounds of action, the tournament showcased both elite mastery and remarkable grassroots debuts. While the championship rounds delivered rapid times, the heart of the event beat strongest in the opening rounds, where first-time entrants experienced the full drama of high-stakes speed cubing under World Cube Association regulations.

Stepping into a debut WCA competition brings an unforgettable blend of nerves and excitement, from navigating the marshalling area to feeling the cold plastic beneath one's fingertips during pre-solve inspection. Debutants Mizuki Mai Everingham and Eric Yichen Li each took on three events in their first official outing, with Everingham posting a 24.75 single on the classic 3x3x3 Cube, a 16.86 mark in Skewb, and a 1:43.19 in 4x4x4 Cube, where they finished 27th overall. Li opened their tournament journey with a 32.59 single on the 3x3x3, followed by a 7.82 Skewb single and a 1:49.69 in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

Fellow debutants also made their presence felt across the tables. Benjamin Carlile tackled two events, delivering an initial 31.26 single on the standard Rubik's Cube alongside a 1:59.98 effort in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Lachlan Jack rounded out the debut contingent by entering two events, posting a 21.17 in the 3x3x3 Cube and a solid 12.48 in Skewb. For each of these newcomers, their initial attempts marked the beginning of their official speedcubing careers.

Beyond the debuts, several experienced solvers achieved tremendous breakthroughs across the schedule. Xavier Pupovac-Hopper entered four events and notched a 9th-place finish in Skewb behind a personal best single of 3.05, which was 58 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside a 22.6 percent improvement on the 4x4x4 Cube with 1:03.76. Emerson Owen took on four events, making their first ever official attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:29.70 while cutting their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 35 percent to 25.78. Benjamin T. Chong entered two events, logging their first official 4x4x4 Cube effort at 1:30.12 and shaving 33 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube personal best with a 14.01.

The progress continued across the field as competitors expanded their event repertoires. Kenta Duong competed in four disciplines, securing a personal best of 6.59 on Skewb that was 33 percent faster than their previous mark, paired with a 30.1 percent cut to 28.95 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Paolo Lu took on four events, recording their first ever official attempt at Skewb in 20.60 and their first 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt in 1:09.13, while also lowering their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 20.75, an improvement of 18.8 percent. These personal milestones highlighted the quiet progression unfolding throughout the venue.

At the sharp end of the standings, Bryan Eng produced a dominant weekend, sweeping three of the four events on the schedule. In the main event, the 3x3x3 Cube, Eng led a field of 68 competitors across three rounds, capturing the title with a winning average of 7.15 and a round-best single of 6.45. Liam Highducheck took second place with an 8.17 average, followed closely by Gavin Chung in third at 8.32, capping off a thrilling set of final 3x3 results.

Eng extended his winning run to the specialized events, taking top honors in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 12.49 and a standout 9.20 single, finishing ahead of James Kirschner with 18.07 and Liam Highducheck with 18.17. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Eng finished first with an average of 29.76 and a best single of 26.88, while Highducheck placed second in 31.20 and Thomas Tinlin claimed third in 36.79. Tinlin earned his own gold medal in the Skewb event, averaging 3.12 with a single of 2.12 to edge Joshua Almanza at 3.30 and Noah Smith at 4.03.

Australian competitors swept all twelve podium spots across the day, demonstrating great depth across every puzzle type. Kiama Winter 2024 concluded as a showcase of both top-tier championship speed and inspiring personal growth, setting a high standard for future meets across New South Wales.