Luxembourg Nationals 2024

Inside the Lycée Michel Rodange Luxembourg, the weekend began with a hum of turning puzzles and quiet conversation before the main events took over. Competitors found their places at the tables, warming up their hands and preparing their timing gear. The familiar sounds of speed cubing echoed through the hall in Luxembourg, Luxembourg, as the two-day event got underway. By the time the first timed solves began on September 7, the atmosphere was a mix of intense focus and welcoming camaraderie, typical of a seasoned WCA competition gathering. This year’s field of 110 participants brought a wealth of experience, ready to tackle a busy schedule of thirteen different events across twenty-two rounds.

Veteran competitor Andrey Che set the pace early and never relented at Luxembourg Nationals 2024. In the headline 3x3x3 Cube event, Che secured the victory with a winning average of 7.72 seconds and a best single of 6.43 seconds, leading a field of 108 competitors. His dominance extended beyond the standard Rubik's Cube. He took the top spot in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 30.75 average, the 3x3x3 One-Handed with 10.72, the 5x5x5 Cube with 51.56, and the Megaminx with 43.11. Che’s performance was a masterclass in consistency across multiple puzzle types, showing that his speedcubing form remains formidable. He anchored a strong showing for Russian competitors, who claimed eight podium finishes overall.

Imanuel Müller was the standout performer in the 2x2x2 Cube, an event that saw a flurry of record-breaking performances. Müller took the victory with a winning average of 1.69 seconds and a best single of 1.61 seconds, pacing the 92-competitor field. During the rounds, Müller set a new national record for Germany with a 1.47 single and a 1.81 average. The 2x2x2 Cube event became a showcase of speed, with multiple competitors setting national marks. Guillaume David of Belgium clocked a 1.91 single and 2.01 average, while Finland’s Niko Ronkainen posted a 2.01 single and 2.39 average. The short, fast solves provided thrilling moments for the spectators tracking the 3x3 results and beyond.

Beyond the headline winners, several seasoned competitors achieved significant personal milestones. Kristina Nesterenko shaved a massive 54.4 percent off her Pyraminx personal best to clock 11.72 seconds, and took 52.3 percent off her Skewb best to reach 10.07. She also completed her first ever attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube. Yasna Zhechev made her first attempts at both Skewb and Megaminx, and improved her Pyraminx time by 48.5 percent to 3.99 seconds. Leni Schultheis improved her Pyraminx best by 61.4 percent to 4.10 seconds and her 2x2x2 Cube by 9.4 percent to 5.87. Shuge Wu achieved personal bests in the 3x3x3 Cube, improving by 42.2 percent to 48.03 seconds, and the 2x2x2 Cube, shaving 33.9 percent off to reach 16.41 seconds, while attempting Skewb for the first time.

The weekend also saw competitors taking on a massive workload of events. Philippe Mangen entered eleven events, attempting the 3x3x3 One-Handed, Clock, and 5x5x5 Cube for the first time, and taking a best finish of 21st in the 2x2x2 Cube. Jacques Steichen tackled twelve events, completing his first attempts at the 7x7x7 Cube, 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, and 6x6x6 Cube, while securing a best finish of 22nd in Skewb. Melvin König also took on twelve events, achieving a best finish of 11th in the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves and completing his first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed. Philippe Lahr entered eight events, achieving a Pyraminx personal best of 11.08 seconds, a 42.4 percent improvement, and taking his first attempts at the 3x3x3 One-Handed and Clock.

The longer and more complex puzzles provided dramatic finishes at Luxembourg Nationals 2024. Guillaume David captured the 6x6x6 Cube title with a winning average of 1:51.30, holding off Andrey Che and Vincenzo Maria Gammino. Gammino, representing Italy, claimed the 7x7x7 Cube victory with an average of 2:55.53. In the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves event, which challenges competitors to solve the puzzle in the lowest number of turns rather than the fastest time, Dunhui Xiao took the win with a best single of 24 moves. The variety of challenges highlighted the different skill sets required across the cubing competition landscape.

Specialty events like Clock and 3x3x3 Blindfolded added to the diverse schedule at Luxembourg Nationals 2024. César Essling won the Clock event with an average of 4.97 seconds, finishing ahead of Konstantin Jaehne and Thomas Heiden. The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, requiring intense memorization and execution without sight of the puzzle, was won by Corentin Thomée with a best single of 38.78 seconds. Sophia Schmoll took the Pyraminx title with a 3.04 average, and Annika Stein won the Skewb event with a 3.47 average, ensuring a wide distribution of winners across the thirteen events.

As the final timers were stopped and the results tallied, the overall strength of the competitors from neighboring countries was evident. Belgian competitors took home nine podium places, matching the total from Germany. Competitors from Austria, Estonia, and Italy also made their mark on the final standings. The 2024 gathering proved to be a successful weekend for returning veterans and those expanding their repertoire. The meticulous preparation and execution seen at Luxembourg Nationals 2024 underscored the continuing growth and high standards within the competitive cubing community.