Manchester MBLD Day 2024

A championship atmosphere demands peak mental endurance, and Ezra Hirschi delivered one of the most astonishing displays of the year by solving 48 out of 52 cubes blindfolded in 59:14. That massive effort set the bar at Manchester MBLD Day 2024, an elite speedcubing gathering dedicated purely to the sport of memory solving. Held on March 16, 2024, at the Wythenshawe Forum in Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom, the gathering brought together 27 specialists prepared to test their limits under intense championship conditions.

Across five total rounds in three grueling categories, the cubing competition carried heavy stakes for every competitor taking a seat at the tables. Memory solving strips away visual guidance, demanding perfect recall and flawless execution. While standard Rubik's Cube speed cubing focuses on raw finger speed and split-second visual reactions, this competition required deep concentration, where a single misplaced turn or minor lapse in memorisation during a long solve could instantly wipe away an entire attempt.

Tommy Cherry established early dominance across the individual categories, taking gold in two of the three featured disciplines. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, a contest featuring 27 competitors over three separate rounds, Cherry captured the top spot with a winning average of 15.96 seconds, backed by a best single time of 14.86. Ezra Hirschi secured second place on the podium with a 23.88 average, while Hari Anirudh took third place with a 28.04 average.

The 3x3 results in the blindfolded category reflected incredible intensity across multiple stages of competition. Cherry, Hirschi, and Anirudh all posted notable single times during the event, clocking 16.47, 21.30, and 23.51 respectively. Ryan Eckersley finished with a 23.57 single and a 31.14 average, while Mengfei Shen (沈梦非) produced a 24.07 single alongside a 31.38 average. Thomas Patterson also delivered a 32.03 single, showing the depth of talent navigating the three rounds of pressure.

In the 4x4x4 Blindfolded final, 23 competitors tackled the larger puzzle without sight, where Tommy Cherry again proved unbeatable. Cherry clinched the title with a single time of 1:22.37, finishing ahead of Ryan Eckersley, who earned second place with a mark of 1:35.64. Mengfei Shen (沈梦非) took third place with a time of 2:53.08. With top finishes across both single-cube blindfolded events, Cherry underscored his reputation as a premier force in high-stakes memory disciplines.

Beyond the title fights, Manchester MBLD Day 2024 served as a platform for remarkable individual breakthroughs from competitors deep in the field. Edmund Finch delivered a standout performance in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a personal best of 1:05.98 that improved upon his previous best by 24.3 percent on his way to 10th place. Adejuwon Adebusuyi Oluwemimo tackled his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, scoring 4/5 in 40:21 to place 16th, while also cutting his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best by 19.1 percent down to 1:46.01. CJ Brooke posted a 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best of 40.52, an 11.3 percent improvement, and took 7th place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded. Harry Owen took 9th in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a personal best of 10:12.00, improving by 13.3 percent, alongside a 3x3x3 Multi-Blind personal best of 7/7 in 42:20.

First attempts at complex blindfolded events added further depth to the weekend. Chris Bonnello entered three events and registered his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded, recording an 11:27.00 to finish 11th. Bella Campbell also took on three events, completing a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a perfect 2/2 in 9:17 to place 12th in 4x4x4 Blindfolded. Chan Chun Hei (陳俊熹) logged a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, scoring 3/6 in 40:24, while Kai Cui achieved a 3x3x3 Multi-Blind personal best of 3/3 in 27:32 to take 15th place.

The 3x3x3 Multi-Blind championship battle provided a thrilling conclusion to the single-day event. Ezra Hirschi stood atop the podium with his massive 48/52 result in 59:14. Tommy Cherry challenged closely, claiming second place with 37 out of 41 cubes solved within the exact 1:00:00 time limit. Thomas Patterson locked up the third podium spot by successfully solving 30 out of 33 cubes in 56:24. The podium tally saw the United States take three podium spots, Switzerland two, the United Kingdom two, with India and China claiming one apiece.

As the final timers stopped, Manchester MBLD Day 2024 stood as a testament to the rigorous preparation required at an elite WCA competition. From seasoned podium finishers setting international benchmarks to dedicated competitors achieving massive personal breakthroughs, the event highlighted the peak of blindfolded problem-solving. The stage now clears as competitors carry their hard-won experience and memories forward toward the challenges of the next season.