London Winter 2024

Matthew Lee delivered a masterclass in composed speedcubing at the University of Western Ontario University Community Centre, capturing the premier title with a 6.93 winning average. Across three demanding rounds of the classic 3x3x3 Cube, Lee proved that methodical reliability triumphs over isolated bursts of speed, pairing a best single of 6.28 with unflinching turn-to-turn stability. His performance anchored a memorable day of competition in London, Ontario, Canada on February 24, 2024, setting the tone for a tournament defined by disciplined execution.

The 2024 edition of London Winter 2024 brought together 96 competitors across six varied disciplines, featuring nine total rounds of high-pressure solving. In the marquee 3x3 results, Ryan Wu maintained heavy pressure throughout the final, posting a 7.23 average to secure second place, while Roan Paone completed the podium in third with an average of 8.32. The event demonstrated the rigorous precision needed to survive multiple stages in the largest bracket of the day.

Lee extended his winning form into the specialized events, taking two additional victories through steady, repeatable execution. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Lee secured top honours with an 11.75 average and an 11.33 single, outpacing Paone in second at 13.05 and Wu in third at 13.76. He carried that same calm rhythm into the twelve-sided Megaminx, claiming first place with a 41.61 average and a 39.34 single, ahead of Arhaan Sareen in second at 47.54 and Wu in third at 49.24.

Ryan Wu matched Lee with two titles of his own, prevailing in high-speed, technical disciplines where margin for error is minimal. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Wu recorded a sharp 1.60 average and a 1.15 single across two rounds to edge out Lee in second at 1.87 and Sareen in third at 1.89. Wu then took the 4x4x4 Cube victory with a 30.34 average and a 26.82 single, keeping Lee in second at 30.59 and Sareen in third at 32.14.

Beyond the podium battles, London Winter 2024 showcased remarkable breakthroughs across the wider field. Mohamed Yousif made a dramatic leap on the classic puzzle, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 13.13, which was 58.3 percent faster than his prior 31.46 mark, while also logging a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 7.16 single. Andrew Jaques slashed his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 1:09.77, improving by 56.5 percent from 2:40.23, alongside initial efforts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 51.51 and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:35.59. Daniel S. Barrick improved his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 40.4 percent to 2:11.02, while tackling his first official attempts in Megaminx at 3:45.39 and 5x5x5 Cube at 6:18.98. Kyle Mingche Li shaved 39.8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal best with a 21.62 single and posted a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:10.10.

The depth of progress continued across multiple rounds and event formats. Sebastián Font lowered his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 42.34, an improvement of 30.6 percent over his previous 1:01.05, while recording debut official times in Megaminx at 2:25.33 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 21.88. Milo Kittleson dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best to 19.18 for a 29.2 percent improvement and his 5x5x5 Cube mark to 1:35.84, while registering a first Megaminx attempt at 8:30.51. Cameron MacGillivary took on six events, achieving a best finish of 20th in Megaminx with a debut 2:12.19, alongside initial entries in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 19.70 and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:06.73. Entering his first WCA competition, Jackson McNorgan contested six events, registering a best finish of 31st in Megaminx, a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:05.72, and a first 3x3x3 One-Handed result of 1:10.41.

In the 5x5x5 Cube, Yeguk Kim demonstrated total control over the complex mechanisms and extensive piece count, capturing the title with a 52.78 average and a 50.89 single. Sareen took second place with a 55.02 average, while Paone claimed third at 57.30, capping an all-Canadian sweep of the top positions across every bracket. Canadian solvers secured all 18 podium spots available at the meet, reflecting regional strength across both short sprints and big-cube endurance.

From newcomers discovering the cadence of official speed cubing to experienced finalists executing sub-seven averages on the Rubik's Cube, London Winter 2024 highlighted the enduring value of consistency over pure chance. As the nine rounds concluded, the balanced multi-event victories of Lee and Wu underscored how structured preparation remains the cornerstone of success at any major cubing competition.