Little Giant Open 2024

The competition hall at Wabash College buzzed with the distinctive click of turning plastic and the steady tap of timers on March 9, 2024. Competitors gathered in Crawfordsville, Indiana, USA, arranging their gear on tables while judges prepared scorecards for a packed single-day schedule. Across the venue, tables were lined with solve mats, displays, and stopwatches as the opening calls brought the first groups forward.

While some cubing disciplines emphasize quiet pen-and-paper calculation, where competitors map out move sequences deliberately without the frantic rush of a running timer, this cubing competition tested pure turning velocity. The day demanded instantaneous reactions, fast recognition, and lightning execution across six different speed disciplines. With 86 competitors and 11 distinct rounds on the agenda, every turn at the table carried immediate stakes.

The 3x3x3 Cube event drew the largest field of the day with 85 competitors taking part across two rounds. Luke Garrett established control of the bracket, claiming first place with a winning average of 5.98 seconds and a best single of 4.65 seconds. Carter Kucala secured second place with a final average of 7.63 seconds, while Brian Johnson took third place on the podium with an average of 8.37 seconds.

The official 3x3 results highlighted an extraordinary display from the leading trio, all representing the United States. Garrett added to his dominant run in the main Rubik's Cube category by capturing three additional titles across the schedule. He topped 4x4x4 Cube with a winning average of 27.58 seconds and a best single of 22.57 seconds, outpacing Johnson and Kucala who finished second and third respectively.

Garrett continued his sweep in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a winning average of 9.69 seconds and a best single of 9.07 seconds in the 47-competitor field. Johnson followed in second at 11.83 seconds and Kucala earned third at 12.84 seconds. In Megaminx, Garrett posted a winning average of 41.70 seconds and a best single of 35.18 seconds, leading a podium that featured Johnson in second at 49.39 seconds and Simon Kellum in third at 52.75 seconds.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors delivered remarkable personal milestones across multiple events. KJ Lichter registered a huge improvement in Pyraminx with a mark of 7.18 seconds, which was 66.1 percent faster than their previous best. Isaiah Alexander cut their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal record by 54.6 percent down to 31.74 seconds while also taking 10th place in Skewb and completing a first attempt in Pyraminx at 4.63 seconds. Jonathan Poole improved their Pyraminx mark by 51.7 percent to 4.90 seconds and logged a first ever 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:08.98.

Other competitors took on broad event programs and achieved substantial progress throughout the day. Caleb Kippenbrock took on six events, dropping their Pyraminx best by 51.3 percent to 4.95 seconds while recording first attempts in Skewb at 10.45 seconds and One-Handed at 57.34 seconds. Matthew Wild reduced their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 29.3 percent to 9.26 seconds and finished 27th in 4x4x4 Cube. Carson Rademacher recorded first attempts in One-Handed at 28.86 seconds, Megaminx at 3:39.21, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:18.04. Tristan McCulloh completed first attempts in Skewb, Megaminx, and Pyraminx, while Ezra Epple tackled six events in their first WCA competition, recording initial marks in Megaminx, Skewb, and 4x4x4 Cube.

The shorter puzzles produced fierce competition in the final rounds. In Pyraminx, Simon Kellum captured victory with a winning average of 1.95 seconds and a best single of 1.59 seconds across three rounds, finishing ahead of Garrett in second at 2.41 seconds and Johnson in third at 3.06 seconds. Skewb concluded with Carter Kucala taking the title with an average of 2.06 seconds and a single of 1.95 seconds, followed by Fabian Houston of the United Kingdom in second at 3.54 seconds and Kellum in third at 3.73 seconds.

The Little Giant Open 2024 concluded after a full day of speed cubing action in Crawfordsville. Across 11 rounds of competition, the United States accounted for 17 podium positions, alongside one podium finish for the United Kingdom. From four-event sweeps at the top to massive time drops throughout the ranks, the tournament showcased high-level speedcubing across every discipline.