Lakewood Newcomers 2024

One hundred and fifty-three competitors arrived at Harrison Preparatory Academy with championship-level intensity on the line. The one-day tournament brought together an ambitious field across four core disciplines, packing nine full rounds of competition into March 23, 2024. Staged in Lakewood, Washington, USA, the gathering tested both tournament veterans and emerging solvers in high-pressure brackets. With podium silverware on the line and tight progression cuts across every discipline, each turn of the puzzle carried decisive weight from the morning stages through the evening finals.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 148 entrants, making it the most heavily contested event on the schedule. Through three grueling rounds of traditional Rubik's Cube solving, contenders traded rapid times to earn a place at the final table. When the championship decider arrived, Sameer Aggarwal delivered a composed performance to secure the top step, logging an event-winning 6.31 average alongside a best single of 6.22. Matty Hiroto Inaba claimed the second spot on the podium with a 6.61 average, while Max Siauw rounded out the medal positions in third with a mark of 6.70. The 3x3 results reflected the tight margins separating the finalists.

Aggarwal extended his mastery into the specialty disciplines, mounting a commanding campaign across the venue. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed division, which featured 60 competitors over two rounds, Aggarwal took top honors with an average of 12.65 and a best single of 11.58. Ash Black mounted a resolute challenge to take second place with a 13.17 average, followed by Max Siauw in third at 13.31. Aggarwal completed an impressive triple victory by prevailing in Pyraminx, defeating a field of 102 competitors with a 2.87 winning average. Ash Black secured another runner-up finish at 2.98, while Tripp Peters captured third with an average of 3.20.

The 2x2x2 Cube tournament delivered high-speed drama of its own across two intense rounds featuring 124 competitors. Max Siauw captured the event title with a blistering 1.56 winning average, supported by a 1.47 best single. Greyson James pushed the champion to the wire, earning second place with a 1.68 average, while Sameer Aggarwal claimed third place at 1.94 to collect his fourth podium finish of the meet. In all, competitors representing the USA swept all twelve available podium places across the four official disciplines at Lakewood Newcomers 2024.

Beyond the championship trophies, the true measure of a WCA competition often lies in personal breakthroughs away from the podium spotlight. Olly Duel entered four events and posted a major leap in 3x3x3 One-Handed, dropping his personal best to 22.70 seconds, which was 64.4 percent faster than his prior mark of 1:03.73, while also taking 21st place in 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.62 personal best. Mark Su similarly seized his opportunities across four events, finishing 17th in Pyraminx with a personal best of 5.14 that eclipsed his previous 11.32 by 54.6 percent, alongside a 56.2 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube to 2.39 and his first official attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 30.99.

Other solvers marked major individual milestones throughout the day. Asher Torretta entered three events and cut his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 53.2 percent down to 7.22 seconds, paired with his first Pyraminx attempt at 16.65. Jaden Kim lowered his Pyraminx personal best to 8.82 seconds, trimming 49.1 percent from his previous best, while also logging his first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:52.53. Robin Tierling cut 44.8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to finish in 26.10, while also recording his first official 2x2x2 Cube attempt at 3.15. Elijah Shin notched a 16th-place finish in Pyraminx with a 3.89 personal best, down 34.7 percent, and registered an 18.08 in his first one-handed attempt. Akshaj Saravanakumar made initial competition attempts in Pyraminx at 16.58 and 2x2x2 Cube at 4.56, while Aarav Dinesh Kumar took on four separate events, recording debut marks in Pyraminx, 2x2x2 Cube, and 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The standard of speed cubing on display underscored the depth of skill in the regional scene. Each of the four puzzle formats demanded distinct technical mastery, from the single-handed agility of one-handed solving to the geometric navigation of the Pyraminx. Lakewood Newcomers 2024 provided a structured proving ground where solvers of varied experience levels could put their practice against official tournament regulations.

The 2024 season in the Pacific Northwest continues to build momentum on the back of events like this cubing competition. With its packed single-day format, high competitor turnout, and four distinct puzzle disciplines, Lakewood Newcomers 2024 proved how much can be achieved in a single day of focused speedcubing. As competitors head back to practice tables across the region, the marks set at Harrison Preparatory Academy establish a firm benchmark for the tournaments that lie ahead on the calendar.