Minnesota Meetup IV Monday 2024

Forty-five competitors gathered at the Lakeville Heritage Center for a focused day of rapid-fire solving at Minnesota Meetup IV Monday 2024. The single-day WCA competition on August 12, 2024, brought three classic speed events across six total rounds to Lakeville, Minnesota, USA. Enthusiasts of fast-paced speedcubing were treated to quick turnarounds and high stakes as the lineup focused purely on the shortest solving formats on the official roster, testing twitch reflexes and precise execution from the opening heats to the finals.

The 2x2x2 Cube competition delivered blistering speeds right from the outset. Nathan Rahn set the benchmark for the event, claiming first place with a winning average of 2.13 seconds after securing a best single of 1.09 seconds. Rahn faced serious pressure in the final round from James Ekins, who captured second place with an average of 2.86 seconds, while Jonah Boisclair rounded out the podium in third place with a mark of 3.28 seconds. Across two rounds featuring 41 entrants, the small cube demanded relentless consistency where a split-second hesitation could alter the standings completely.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest, the traditional centerpiece of any cubing competition, provided another showcase of elite execution. Kaius Young paced the entire 45-person field to take top honors, putting together a winning average of 8.23 seconds alongside a best single of 7.91 seconds. Nathan Rahn added to his medal tally by taking the runner-up spot with an average of 9.13 seconds, while James Ekins earned his second podium finish of the day by securing third place with a 9.89-second average. These 3x3 results capped a thrilling series of rounds on the classic Rubik's Cube.

Beyond the cubic events, Pyraminx action tested the dexterity of 36 participants across two complete rounds of competition. Carl Overbye captured the title on the tetrahedral puzzle, posting a winning average of 2.46 seconds and logging the best single of the event at 1.69 seconds. Ryan Michael Sisneros kept the battle close to take second place with an average of 2.79 seconds, while Nathan Rahn claimed his third podium of the gathering by finishing third with a 3.31-second average. The tight margins at the top reflected the sharp level of preparation among the regional contenders in 2024.

Away from the championship podiums, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones in their personal solving journeys at Minnesota Meetup IV Monday 2024. Luke Horch entered three events, recording a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 7.59 seconds and a first attempt at Pyraminx of 11.19 seconds, alongside setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 15.94 seconds that improved on a previous 24.36 by 34.6 percent. Alexander Fomenko slashed his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 49.9 percent down to 7.00 seconds from 13.98, while also lowering his Pyraminx personal best by 30.3 percent to 6.27 seconds. Linus Olsen registered a first official attempt at Pyraminx at 19.88 seconds and dropped his 3x3x3 personal best by 35.1 percent to 59.53 seconds.

The progress continued across the scorecards as other dedicated participants logged substantial personal bests and first-time marks. Corban Barth took on three events, posting a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with 2.72 seconds, finishing sixth in Pyraminx with a personal best of 6.14 seconds that was 23.5 percent faster than before, and dropping his 3x3x3 best to 15.10 seconds. Nathan Andres Vasquez Carrera lowered his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 32.6 percent to 2.36 seconds, earning ninth place. Odin White cut his Pyraminx personal best by 39.3 percent down to 6.12 seconds, while Nathan Webb shaved 30.9 percent off his Pyraminx mark to record 5.29 seconds. Abigail Peters secured a 13th-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 15.08 seconds, marking a 23.5 percent improvement.

The gathering also served as a welcoming introduction for newcomers entering their very first official speed cubing tournament. Caleb Wilson, Miriam Barth, Theo Chester, and Reid Hamlin all made their tournament debuts in Lakeville, taking on full schedules across all three contested formats. Chester advanced to 12th place in Pyraminx with an opening mark of 7.53 seconds, while Hamlin placed 14th in 3x3x3 Cube with a time of 13.78 seconds. Debut appearances like these show how accessible the regional tournament circuit remains for emerging solvers testing their capabilities under official timing conditions.

With all nine podium placements earned by competitors representing the USA, the event offered a compact, high-energy schedule that celebrated the sport of speed solving. Minnesota Meetup IV Monday 2024 highlighted both the sharp efficiency of the area's established title contenders and the steep learning curves of emerging participants. As another successful meetup wraps up in Lakeville, the local community turns its attention forward to the upcoming calendar of regional fixtures.