Lloydminster Border Battle 2024

Kyle Santucci delivered a masterclass at the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre, capturing four titles out of five events to spearhead an absolute national clean sweep. Across the entire schedule, Canadian competitors claimed all 15 podium places available, leaving no silverware for anyone else. The Lloydminster Border Battle 2024 brought 46 competitors together on October 12, 2024, in Lloydminster (Alberta/Saskatchewan), Saskatchewan, Canada, turning the boundary city into a lively showcase of high-speed puzzle solving across 7 rounds and 5 distinct official disciplines.

The centerpiece of the cubing competition was the classic 3x3x3 Cube, where Kyle Santucci set the standard from start to finish. Over three intense rounds of the Rubik's Cube, Santucci secured the championship with a winning average of 6.05 seconds, highlighted by the best single of the weekend at 5.50 seconds. Lucas Kuczaj put up a formidable chase in the final round to lock down second place with a 6.89 average, while Caleb dela Fuente rounded out the podium in third with an average of 7.85. The final 3x3 results capped a day of unrelenting speed at the top of the table.

Santucci was far from done after claiming the premier event. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Santucci took top honors with an average of 2.24 seconds and a single of 1.78. Caleb dela Fuente secured second with a 3.03 average and a 1.89 single, while Lucas Kuczaj earned third place with a 3.20 average and a 2.20 single. The depth of the field showed immediately as Jonathan Petry finished with a 3.79 average and a 2.93 single, followed closely by Jacob Tirao registering a 3.89 average and a 3.14 single. James Matthews recorded a 4.21 average and a 2.80 single, Bernabe Kondrak posted a 4.39 average and a 2.62 single, and Torin Halliday tallied a 5.40 average alongside a 4.39 single.

The 2x2x2 Cube continued to yield rapid marks as Lucas Kordov delivered a 5.53 average and a 3.94 single, with Jacob Olfert following on a 5.55 average and a 4.70 single. Santucci kept up his winning form across different puzzle formats, claiming the Skewb crown with a 4.41 winning average and a 3.36 single, finishing ahead of runner-up Laura Plourde at 5.62 and third-placed Lucas Kordov at 5.92. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Santucci triumphed again with an average of 10.19 seconds and a 9.24 single. Lucas Kuczaj took second with a 14.46 average, and Caleb dela Fuente picked up third at 14.57.

The sole event to escape Santucci went to Lucas Kuczaj in the Pyraminx, where Kuczaj produced a winning average of 6.44 seconds and a fast single of 5.53. Torin Halliday secured the silver position with a 6.77 average, while Kye Riddell rounded out the podium in third with a mark of 7.23 seconds. Across every discipline at this WCA competition, the level of technical precision remained exceptionally high, giving local enthusiasts plenty of fast-paced action to follow throughout the single-day tournament.

Beneath the top podium positions, the Lloydminster Border Battle 2024 provided a stage for remarkable individual breakthroughs and milestone improvements. Jayden Lobo authored one of the steepest drops of the day, cutting down their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.02 seconds, which was 65.4 percent faster than their previous record. Marchella Marie Vargas slashed their Skewb personal best to 11.99 seconds, marking a 57.8 percent improvement, while also logging a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 14.08 seconds. Simon Schurman took on four events, dropping their 2x2x2 Cube best by 51.5 percent to 2.73 seconds, while Obadiah Grison cut their 2x2x2 mark by 43.1 percent to 7.88 seconds alongside a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:08.61.

Other competitors took on major multi-event schedules to achieve significant personal milestones. Jacob Tirao took on 5 events and finished 5th in the 2x2x2 Cube, while taking 40.3 percent off their Pyraminx best with a 6.41 and completing a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:04.31. Miguel Joaquin Vargas improved their Skewb best by 40.1 percent to 10.69 seconds and registered a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 12.95 seconds. Lucas Wei entered 5 events, shaving 35.8 percent off their Skewb record down to 6.88 seconds and logging a first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a 10.76. Jeremiah Grison completed a 5-event workload, taking 33.9 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube mark to reach 8.06 seconds while making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 59.32 seconds.

First-time competitors also made their mark during their debut WCA tournament. Thomas Dilworth took on 5 events in their first official outing, registering a best finish of 19th in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 55.34 first attempt, alongside initial marks of 6.00 in 2x2x2 Cube and 19.68 in Skewb. Lucas Duan similarly debuted across 5 disciplines, placing 18th in Skewb while posting a first attempt of 11.17 in Pyraminx, 22.63 in 3x3x3 Cube, and 5.62 in 2x2x2 Cube. Evan Tschetter took 12th in Skewb with a 9.76 first attempt while recording debut times of 5.16 in 2x2x2 Cube and 48.03 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Austin Lysager competed across 5 events in their first tournament, earning a 9th-place finish in Skewb with a 6.55 attempt, a Pyraminx time of 8.84, and a 30.07 effort in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The high energy at the Lloydminster Border Battle 2024 proved that speed cubing continues to thrive across the Canadian prairies. With 46 solvers pushing their limits from early morning rounds to late-afternoon finals, the event showcased both elite mastery and massive personal development. As the 2024 speedcubing calendar moves forward into the upcoming season, the clean sweep in Lloydminster stands as a testament to the remarkable depth of competitive cubers across the region.