Milwaukee Cubing Mania 2024

A total of 109 competitors journeyed from across the region and beyond to gather at the Alumni Memorial Union for Milwaukee Cubing Mania 2024. Staged across January 6 and January 7, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, the gathering drew solvers who logged significant miles to test their abilities against top-flight talent. International participant Filip Gostkowski made the trek from France, while domestic contenders traversed state borders to fill out the venue. Over the course of 24 rounds spanning 13 distinct disciplines, the atmosphere remained focused as participants brought their preparation to the competition tables.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event stood out as the centerpiece of this WCA competition, testing the classic Rubik's Cube across three demanding rounds featuring 108 solvers. Luke Garrett delivered an exceptional run to claim the title, logging a winning average of 5.34 seconds alongside a best single solve of 4.71 seconds. Zeke Mackay secured second place on the podium with a 6.51 average, while Brian Johnson followed in third at 7.21. Garrett also controlled the 2x2x2 Cube event, posting a 1.26 winning average to edge Brian Johnson and Zayn Khanani, who each marked 1.39 averages in a tightly contested final.

Garrett extended his dominance into the intermediate and non-standard categories at Milwaukee Cubing Mania 2024, showing remarkable versatility across the weekend. In the 5x5x5 Cube, he earned the top spot with a 54.85 average, finishing ahead of Zeke Mackay at 55.99 and Silas Breault at 57.18. Garrett also captured the Megaminx victory with a 36.84 winning mark and a best single of 34.76 across 53 entrants. His multiple titles set a high benchmark throughout the weekend, solidifying his role as a central figure in the gathering.

The big cube events saw Silas Breault control the upper limits of the schedule. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Breault earned first place with a 1:30.06 average, ahead of Luke Garrett at 1:35.49 and Zeke Mackay at 1:46.10. Breault repeated his winning form in the 7x7x7 Cube, recording a winning average of 2:15.42 and a best single of 2:08.48, besting Garrett at 2:35.97 and Walker Welch at 2:49.72. Meanwhile, Zeke Mackay took the 4x4x4 Cube victory with a 26.78 average, navigating a field of 74 competitors.

Specialist categories brought intense variety to the tournament floor. Zayn Khanani claimed the Skewb crown with an average of 1.76 seconds over three rounds, besting Simon Kellum at 2.23 and Carter Kucala at 2.57. Hassan Khanani captured the Square-1 title with a 5.90 average, while Carter Kucala took the Pyraminx victory at 2.33. In Clock, Reed W. Richardson secured the title with a 4.26 average ahead of Mackay at 4.88 and Brayden Thompson at 5.38. Daniel Karnaukh won 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with an average of 23.67, and Will Cerne topped 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 23.19 single solve.

Behind the podium battles, several participants marked significant milestones by expanding their event repertoires and registering major personal bests. Isaac Shailor entered 13 events, posting a Skewb personal best of 3.03 seconds that was 45.9 percent faster than his prior mark of 5.60, while also logging his first official 3x3x3 Blindfolded result of 6:22.94. Navish Gundawar cut his 3x3x3 Cube best down to 21.41 seconds, an improvement of 44.1 percent, and made initial attempts in Pyraminx at 8.23 and 2x2x2 Cube at 7.61. Lexi Lehman registered an 8.94 in Pyraminx, cutting 38.9 percent from a previous best, and completed initial attempts in 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube.

Other dedicated travelers used Milwaukee Cubing Mania 2024 to take on extensive schedules and fresh challenges. Liam Strauch improved his 5x5x5 Cube best to 1:18.56, a 29.9 percent drop, alongside a first 7x7x7 Cube attempt of 4:34.37. Xavier Lee dropped his 7x7x7 Cube mark by 26.5 percent to 6:16.85 and registered first-time results in 6x6x6 Cube and Clock. Ethan Glynn contested 13 events, finishing 8th in 2x2x2 Cube and recording initial attempts in Clock, Square-1, and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Conor Alanis took on 12 events with first attempts in Megaminx, Square-1, and 5x5x5 Cube, while Jack Stephen Handrich tackled nine events including first marks in Megaminx, 4x4x4 Cube, and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves.

The gathering demonstrated the growing depth across the speedcubing community as athletes returned home with fresh personal milestones. From the multi-state road trips to the meticulous preparation required across 13 events, every round highlighted the dedication required in modern speed cubing. With the official 3x3 results and category marks verified in the books, Milwaukee Cubing Mania 2024 concluded as a testament to the broad reach and competitive spirit of the sport.