Lexington March Mini 2024

Braden Richards delivered a masterclass in sightless precision at Castlewood Barn, claiming the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a winning single of 1:29.43. Memorising and manipulating a Rubik's Cube entirely from memory demands absolute mental discipline, where a single misplaced turn or minor lapse in concentration results in an unsolved puzzle. Richards executed his solve cleanly to top a field of six competitors, setting the tone for an intense day of specialized solving. Carson Miller took second place with a successful 2:59.91 single, while Kayden Yang secured third place on the podium with a time of 5:34.40.

The one-day WCA competition brought 11 dedicated speedcubing competitors together on March 24, 2024, in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Across five diverse events and five total rounds, the gathering tested an extensive array of skill sets ranging from pure algorithmic speed to deep spatial planning. The compact venue at Lexington March Mini 2024 hosted a dense schedule that challenged participants across big cubes, shape-shifting puzzles, and complex problem-solving disciplines. Every event featured direct finals, leaving no room for tactical conservatism or second chances throughout the single-round showdowns.

Evan Brown mounted an extraordinary performance across multiple disciplines, highlighted by an untouchable display in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Solving the puzzle with analytical rigor, Brown secured first place with a winning average of 22.00 moves and a best single attempt of just 19 moves. Richards took second place with an average of 32.00 moves and a best single of 29 moves, while Miller rounded out the podium with a 33.67 move average and a 29-move single. Brown also showed incredible efficiency on the biggest puzzle of the day, winning the 7x7x7 Cube with a 3:05.66 average and a best single of 2:57.67.

The 7x7x7 Cube podium saw Garrett Hadaway capture second place behind Brown with an average of 3:35.78, while Richards added another podium finish by taking third in 3:51.23. The battle on the big cubes continued in the 5x5x5 Cube, where Miles Lentz delivered a standout victory. Lentz recorded a winning average of 1:05.71 and posted the fastest single of the day at 1:01.94 to take the top step. Brown finished second with a 1:10.24 average, and Richards earned third place with a 1:13.72 average, further cementing their presence across the day's events.

Richards claimed his second victory of the cubing competition in Square-1, solving the shapeshifting puzzle with an impressive winning average of 15.30 seconds and a best single of 10.30 seconds. Yang followed closely to take the runner-up position with a 16.41 average, while Brown earned third place with a solid 17.00 average. The tight margins between the top three competitors highlighted the exceptional consistency required to navigate the rapid sequence of twists and shape alignment, offering a sharp contrast to the slower, deliberate pace of the blindfolded attempts earlier in the schedule.

Beyond the championship trophies, the true heart of the weekend lay in the remarkable breakthroughs achieved across the scorecards. Emery McFeeter made a bold statement by logging a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube, posting a mark of 7:57.12, while also achieving massive personal bests across other events. McFeeter slashed his Square-1 personal best to 34.52 seconds, an improvement of 24.1 percent, and dropped his 5x5x5 Cube personal best down to 2:03.16, which was 12.8 percent faster than his prior standard, on the way to a 9th-place finish in Square-1. Eric Dodson similarly made tremendous strides, cutting his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best to 49 moves for a 15.5 percent improvement, trimming his 7x7x7 Cube best to 8:04.14 for a 12.8 percent drop, improving his Square-1 best to 26.16 seconds, and securing a 4th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded.

The relentless pursuit of progress continued across the rest of the roster at Lexington March Mini 2024. Dominic Brandi tackled five distinct disciplines, setting a 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best of 7:28.12, which was 7.8 percent faster than his previous mark, and earning a 5th-place finish in Square-1. Keenan Darkins took on four events throughout the day, highlighted by a strong 7th-place finish in the 7x7x7 Cube. Zachary Hall competed across two events and secured a 9th-place finish in the 5x5x5 Cube, proving that every solve in the arena represented a personal milestone regardless of the final standings.

The gathering served as a pure showcase of speed cubing versatility, moving seamlessly between memory, logic, and physical dexterity. Whether analyzing potential rotations under the strict rules of the few moves challenge, tracking 3x3 results during high-pressure finals, or pushing fingertricks on big layers, competitors demonstrated the full breadth of the modern sport. The successful execution of Lexington March Mini 2024 in Castlewood Barn provided a memorable chapter for the local community, setting a high standard of mental focus and competitive drive as solvers prepare for future stops across the region.