Manchester FMC Day 2024

The tables inside the Wythenshawe Forum were arranged with precision as competitors unpacked their timers, cubes, and writing utensils on December 7, 2024. Pencils scratched against paper and timers beeped across the hall, setting the atmosphere for a dedicated single-day gathering of puzzle enthusiasts in Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. With a lineup focused on precision and patience, the venue saw competitors settling into deep focus as the first round got underway, drawing in both seasoned veterans and those tackling specialized disciplines for the first time.

A total of 21 competitors gathered for Manchester FMC Day 2024, an event that placed deep thinking and unconventional solving methods at the absolute center of the day. Across three specialized events and six distinct rounds, participants engaged in a unique cubing competition experience that moved beyond standard head-to-head pace. With a notable presence of competitors taking their very first official attempts at long-format disciplines, the gathering provided an ideal platform for newcomers to step out of their comfort zones and test their skills in an official environment.

The spotlight shone brightly on several determined solvers who made tremendous personal strides during the competition. Claire Connell delivered one of the day's standout performances, registering a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a score of 34 while achieving a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 28.81, which was 39.6 percent faster than her prior best of 47.69. Jack Adams also slashed his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best to 30, improving by 26.8 percent from 41 to finish 8th. Yehuda Greenhouse embraced a new challenge by logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 44, and Sohan Dhanak improved his personal best in the same event to 30, taking 23.1 percent off his former mark of 39.

The list of breakthroughs continued with Jimi Naysmith, who locked in a 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best of 31 to improve by 22.5 percent over his previous 40 and earn 6th place. Oliver Wheat took on all three events and secured a 4th-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, while Billie Hammill contested three disciplines and placed 4th in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Maximilian Berkmann also tackled two disciplines on the schedule, earning 9th place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. These achievements highlighted how personal milestones unfolded behind the main leaderboard battles.

In the headline discipline of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, Fabio Schwandt produced an exceptional performance across the single round to take first place for the United Kingdom. Schwandt posted a winning average of 22.67 moves, backed by a best single solution of 21 moves. The race for the podium was tightly contested throughout the hour-long attempts, with Kai Cui securing second place with an average of 23.67 moves and Harry Owen finishing third with an average of 28.33 moves.

Fabio Schwandt carried that momentum directly into 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where solving the Rubik's Cube without sight requires intense memorisation and accurate execution. Over two rounds of competition, Schwandt emerged victorious with a winning single time of 26.59 seconds. Jaye Sloan took the runner-up spot on the podium with a rapid single of 27.72 seconds, while Michael Ngan of Hong Kong finished third with a best single of 45.03 seconds.

The action shifted to one-handed speedcubing in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, which featured 20 competitors battling across three intense rounds. Nicholas Archer demonstrated incredible consistency and dexterity, capturing the title with a winning average of 9.24 seconds and recording the round's best single of 8.25 seconds. Schwandt collected his third podium of the day by taking second place with an average of 13.69 seconds, while Ivo Morley rounded out the top three with a 14.95-second average.

As the final 3x3 results were entered into the database, Manchester FMC Day 2024 concluded having delivered eight podium placements for the home nation and one for Hong Kong. From the quiet calculations of efficiency solving to the high-speed drama of speed cubing with a single hand, the tournament showcased the rich variety of modern WCA competition. Solvers departed the Wythenshawe Forum with fresh personal bests and valuable official experience as the 2024 season progressed.