Micro Minnesota 2024

Eight competitors gathered on October 13, 2024, to take on an intensive schedule at the Ramsey County Library - Maplewood. Across three rounds and two specialized disciplines, the single-day gathering brought focused speedcubing action to Maplewood, Minnesota, USA. United States solvers secured all six podium places available across the schedule, demonstrating complete domestic command of the tables from the first scrambles to the final submissions.

The boutique format at Micro Minnesota 2024 provided an uncommon stage for technical mastery. Instead of standard multi-puzzle tournaments, this official cubing competition narrowed the spotlight to pure efficiency and memory. With a compact roster running through 3x3x3 Blindfolded and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, every solve counted heavily toward the final standings in the 2024 regional calendar.

In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Andy Wong took top honors by delivering a winning single of 21.29 seconds in the final round. The event, which demands meticulous memorization before executing algorithms unseen, saw Wong set the benchmark for the day. Fellow American Kaius Young followed in second place with a mark of 1:03.07, while Walker Welch claimed third place with a time of 1:58.21 to complete the sweep.

The blindfolded discipline featured two full rounds of tension as eight competitors took their seats at the tables. Andy Wong had already demonstrated supreme pace earlier with a 18.22 single in the opening round before sealing the victory in the finals. Walker Welch posted a single of 1:17.62 and an average of 1:31.07 during the earlier stage, underscoring the high technical level present in the room.

The deliberate pace of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves offered a stark contrast in tempo, challenging seven participants to find optimal solutions within strict time limits. Walker Welch earned the title with a commanding winning average of 25.67 moves, supported by an event-best single of 21 moves on the classic Rubik's Cube. Andy Wong captured second place with an average of 38.00 moves, while Kaius Young secured third place with 38.67 moves.

Behind the medal positions, several participants authored major breakthroughs that reshaped their individual profiles. Lucian Yantes entered two events and earned a fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 1:46.87, improving on a previous best of 4:14.36 by fifty-eight percent. Yantes also completed a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a mark of 35. Andrew Surine entered the blindfolded event and took fifth place, setting a personal best of 2:05.61 that was fifty point three percent faster than a former 4:12.50 standard.

Other competitors took on fresh challenges during the afternoon sessions to expand their records in this WCA competition. Jonah Boisclair registered a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a score of 40 to finish seventh while taking on two events across the schedule. Joseph Ong contested two events and locked in a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a solution of 36, finishing sixth. Shain Papalotl Longbehn competed in both disciplines and earned a fourth-place result in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves.

With its focus on specialized solving, the event highlighted the depth of competitive speed cubing in the Midwest. The efficient structure allowed solvers to concentrate fully on mental calculation and high-pressure execution. The complete sweep of podium positions across both disciplines made Micro Minnesota 2024 an unambiguous success for the host nation, with memorable 3x3 results closing out the weekend.