Lyttelton Summer 2024

A blistering 1.57-second winning average in the 2x2x2 Cube by Chris Mills set the tone for an explosive day of speedcubing at the Lyttelton Recreation Centre. Staged on February 18, 2024, the one-day gathering drew 37 competitors to Christchurch, New Zealand, where rapid progress and fierce rivalries defined the action across 10 rounds of competition. Across four official puzzles, emerging talents and seasoned solvers alike pushed the boundaries of their speed, turning a compact local schedule into a showcase of rapid personal development.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a full field of 37 entrants through three rigorous rounds of solves. When the final round dust settled, Chris Mills captured the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 6.44 seconds and a best single time of 5.88 seconds. The battle for the remaining podium places came down to the slimmest possible margin, as Dwyane Ramos secured second place with a 6.95 average, edging out Jasper Murray who placed third with a 6.96 average. The 3x3 results demonstrated world-class consistency right at the sharp end of the table.

The 2x2x2 Cube final served as an almost exact mirror of the classic Rubik's Cube battle, featuring the same three solvers occupying the podium steps. Mills took the title with his 1.57 average, powered by a weekend-best 0.94 single. Ramos secured the runner-up spot with a 1.68 average, while Murray closed out the podium in third with an average of 1.77. In a fast-paced format where tenths of a second determine the final outcome, the precision displayed at the tables kept spectators riveted across both rounds.

In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, 31 competitors tackled the technical challenge across two rounds, where Dwyane Ramos claimed the victory. Ramos registered a winning average of 9.33 seconds alongside the day's fastest single solve of 8.09 seconds. Jasper Murray followed closely behind in second place with an average of 9.60, while Chris Mills locked in third place with an 11.04 mark. The result capped a sweeping set of top-three finishes for the trio across the standard three-layered cube disciplines.

The Pyraminx brought entirely different geometric hurdles to the tables, running through three full rounds with 33 entrants. Jasper Murray dominated the event from start to finish, taking the victory with a 1.82 winning average and the round's standout single of 1.45 seconds. Connor Johnson secured the silver medal spot with a 2.79 average, while Cooper Jones earned the third step on the podium with a 3.02 average, ensuring New Zealand competitors claimed all twelve available podium spots across the four scheduled disciplines.

Beyond the podium battles, Lyttelton Summer 2024 served as a launching pad for remarkable personal leaps that define modern speed cubing. Shengkai Hao achieved a massive 55.4 percent drop on Pyraminx with an 18.63 personal best while also logging a first official attempt on the 2x2x2 Cube at 11.95. Canaan Wu dropped their Pyraminx mark by 28.8 percent to 7.76, while Zee Capangpangan cut their Pyraminx best by 40 percent to 1.71. Bryn Gordon also delivered huge progress, shaving 39.3 percent off their Pyraminx best with a 2.94 and slicing 22.5 percent off their 3x3x3 One-Handed mark down to 17.92.

The depth of progress across the roster continued with several solvers expanding their competitive repertoires at this WCA competition. Ben Gorman entered four events, posting a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 22.85 alongside a 13.2 percent improvement on Pyraminx at 11.12. Jonathan Andrew Reid tackled one-handed solving for the first time with a 57.85 and lowered their 2x2x2 personal best by 13 percent to 5.36. Sebastian James took on four events, dropping their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 36 percent down to 15.55 and improving their 2x2x2 mark by 20.8 percent to 3.51. Isaac Brewster rounded out the surge with a 28.1 percent cut on 3x3x3 One-Handed to finish at 58.47.

Fresh faces made their presence felt right away, showing how accessible and vibrant the local scene remains in 2024. Alister Browne completed their first tournament across four disciplines, opening their ledger with an 11.71 in Pyraminx and a 27.89 on the standard cube. Bobby Mouat also made a tournament debut across four events, logging a 12.67 on the 2x2x2 Cube and a 22.54 in Pyraminx. Fellow newcomer Rex Christian Corpuz Acosta registered a 7.84 Pyraminx single and an 18.22 in the 3x3x3 Cube, while Jayden Smith started their journey with a 14.68 Pyraminx effort.

With 10 rounds successfully staged in a single concentrated day, Lyttelton Summer 2024 highlighted the rapid development of the region's solving community. From crisp sub-two-second averages to dramatic individual personal bests across the field, the Lyttelton Recreation Centre proved an ideal host for competitive spirit and technical precision. As these competitors return to practice, the high standards set in Christchurch will serve as the benchmark for every upcoming cubing competition this year.