Mauritian Odyssey 2024

Forty-one competitors gathered at Victoria Urban Terminal on September 28, 2024, bringing rapid progress and energy to the tables in Port Louis, Mauritius. Across seven events and ten action-packed rounds, the cubing competition showcased a new generation of solvers shaving massive margins off their times. In a single day of high-stakes speedcubing, emerging talents proved that rapid dedication can reshape the leaderboards, providing an electrifying atmosphere for both seasoned veterans and eager newcomers in the 2024 season.

The classic Rubik's Cube drew a field of 40 competitors across two rigorous rounds of 3x3 results. Argentina's Guido Dipietro claimed the premier title with a sharp winning average of 10.02 seconds, also posting the event's best single solve at 9.39 seconds. Sasha Antoine of Mauritius pushed hard throughout the final round to secure the runner-up spot with an average of 10.39 seconds. Yanis Bensouiah of France rounded out the podium in third place, recording an average of 11.63 seconds in the decisive round.

Guido Dipietro continued his dominant form in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping a 21-competitor field to capture his second title at Mauritian Odyssey 2024 with an average of 3.44 seconds and a best single solve of 2.88 seconds. The battle for the remaining podium places saw Joshua Ng Yuen Yan of Mauritius claim second place with an average of 5.23 seconds, while Yanis Bensouiah earned third with a 5.61 average. The event featured exceptional depth, with ten competitors setting national marks throughout the rounds.

Beyond the familiar names at the top of the standings, the heart of the speed cubing weekend belonged to rising competitors recording massive personal breakthroughs. Chung-Wen Lin of Taiwan tackled five events, achieving a 4th-place finish in Megaminx, making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 2:08.74, dropping their 3x3x3 personal best by 28.2 percent to 18.72, and slashing their 2x2x2 mark by 55.7 percent to 7.18 seconds. Khivesh Mungul posted an 8th-place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube, improved their personal best by 47.9 percent down to 19.40, and logged a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 9.08 seconds. Axel Chaleon entered three events, taking 7th in the 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 7.97 seconds, a 20.2 percent improvement, alongside a first try at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 52.99 seconds. Dweejendra Chummun took 28th in the main event while lowering their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 47.1 percent to 42.63 seconds.

Debutants stepping onto the stage for their very first WCA competition also seized the moment with remarkable debuts across varied disciplines. Abel Leclezio secured 7th place in Pyraminx by improving their personal best by 27.5 percent to 12.83 seconds. Tessa Mia Ng Cheong Tin took on three events in her first tournament, earning a notable 4th-place finish in Pyraminx with an initial mark of 7.65 seconds, alongside debut attempts of 6.39 in 2x2x2 and 22.96 in 3x3x3. Keliya How Ah Chong contested three events, finishing 6th in Pyraminx with a mark of 10.12 seconds while adding opening marks of 24.68 in 3x3x3 and 8.82 in 2x2x2. Nehal Dookheea completed a trio of debut events, finishing 6th in 3x3x3 One-Handed in 56.79 seconds, alongside first attempts of 9.90 in 2x2x2 and 30.06 in 3x3x3.

The one-handed event delivered an impressive tactical contest among ten solvers. Yanis Bensouiah took the top step on the podium for France, securing victory with an average of 24.87 seconds and a best single solve of 20.47. Sasha Antoine followed closely behind in second place with an average of 26.81 seconds, while Joshua Ng Yuen Yan took the bronze medal position with a time of 39.85 seconds, highlighting the dexterity required to control the cube with a single hand.

Joshua Ng Yuen Yan found his golden moment in the Pyraminx, leading the two-round contest with a decisive winning average of 6.44 seconds and a best single effort of 5.10. Yanis Bensouiah claimed second place with an average of 6.61 seconds, while Yu-Shuo Wang of Taiwan secured third place in 9.39 seconds. Sasha Antoine collected top honors in the 4x4x4 Cube, clocking a winning average of 1:25.51 to edge past Joshua Ng Yuen Yan at 1:26.63 and Yu-Shuo Wang at 1:27.50 in a tightly contested final.

The larger and specialized puzzles rounded out the roster at Mauritian Odyssey 2024, where Tobias Leclezio produced a commanding double victory for the host nation. Leclezio secured first place in the Megaminx with a winning average of 3:17.06, finishing ahead of Hosany Muhammad Wildaan Ibn Nazeer at 4:16.40 and Faris Ahmad Dreepaul at 5:53.50. Leclezio also captured the Square-1 crown with an average of 52.26 seconds, leading runner-up Ameer Surfoodeen who finished in 1:42.21.

Across the podium ledger, Mauritius led all nations with 12 total top-three finishes, while France collected 4, and Argentina and Taiwan earned 2 apiece. The energetic gathering at Mauritian Odyssey 2024 highlighted the rapid rise of young solvers who made monumental leaps in their personal records and took on complex events with enthusiasm, setting a vibrant foundation for the future of competitive solving across the region.