Michigan Mini 26B 2024

Twenty competitors assembled at the Plymouth Arts and Recreation Center on December 30, 2024, closing out the competitive year in Plymouth, Michigan, USA. The single-day WCA competition brought a concentrated slate of three distinct events spanning seven rounds of intense action. Michigan Mini 26B 2024 offered a focused environment where seasoned solvers and newcomers alike pushed their capabilities across varied disciplines, from classic speed formats to high-stakes memory tests.

Speedcubing often conjures images of blistering finger tricks and frantic turns against the ticking clock, contrasting sharply with the deliberate, pen-and-paper analysis seen in disciplines like Fewest Moves. At this cubing competition, the focus remained squarely on direct, head-to-head execution. Solvers had to balance pure turning velocity with intricate problem-solving across traditional Rubik's Cube rounds, specialized mechanical twists, and the total sensory deprivation of blindfolded solving.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube event, twenty competitors battled through three demanding rounds to establish their final standings. Ansel de Jong delivered a standout performance, capturing the title with a tournament-best winning average of 8.36 seconds and the fastest single solve of the entire event at 7.91 seconds. The final round podium was completed by Owen Widdis, who secured second place with an average of 9.13 seconds, while Caleb Lalik took third place with a mark of 10.02 seconds.

The 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable consistency among the finalists across all rounds of speed cubing. Ansel de Jong set a benchmark average of 10.27 seconds alongside a 9.62 single earlier in the competition. Owen Widdis notched a 9.75 average and an 8.67 single, while Caleb Lalik registered a 9.51 average and an 8.63 single. Seth Rowell also posted strong numbers with a 10.03 average and a 9.72 single during the progression toward the final round.

Beyond the standard puzzle, the specialized events provided technical hurdles and thrilling finishes. Hunter Mackler emerged victorious in the Square-1 competition, topping a field of nine competitors across two rounds with a winning average of 13.60 seconds and a sharp 9.41 single. Caleb Lalik followed in second place with an average of 14.80 seconds, while James Hildreth secured the third spot on the podium with a 15.46-second average.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event presented the ultimate trial of memorization and spatial execution without sight. Caleb Lalik claimed the top spot on the podium with a winning single time of 47.37 seconds in the final round. Owen Widdis earned the second-place finish with a successful solve of 1:33.44. The remaining finalists, James Hildreth, Seth Rowell, Justin Sui, and Ansel de Jong, tied for third place after recording no successful solves in the final round.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones in Plymouth. Mithran Thakkar delivered a standout improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube, setting a personal best single of 21.94 seconds, which was 16.6 percent faster than their previous mark of 26.30. Sam McDonnell showed similar progress by logging a personal best of 35.23 seconds, improving by 16.4 percent over an earlier 42.15. Amanda Sugiharto contested three separate events during the day and lowered their 3x3x3 Cube best to 11.91 seconds, an 8 percent drop from 12.95. Samanyu Chandra also took on three events and recorded a first ever attempt at Square-1 with a time of 38.77 seconds.

The tournament also marked the competitive debut for several newcomers stepping onto the official floor for the first time. Owen Voorheis tackled their first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube to finish in 33.59 seconds, while Colin VanEyk logged an opening mark of 35.59 seconds. Tanner Gizowski posted a first official time of 36.48 seconds in the same event, and Justin Koning completed an opening effort of 39.00 seconds. Matthew Mayernik rounded out a productive day by claiming a 7th place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube event.

The single-day meet concluded with the United States capturing all 12 podium positions across the three featured disciplines. Michigan Mini 26B 2024 served as an energetic conclusion to the 2024 calendar, leaving competitors with new personal benchmarks and valuable experience heading into the upcoming season.