Minnesota Newcomer Saturday 2024

Five distinct puzzle formats brought non-stop action across eleven total rounds as 98 competitors gathered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA on March 2, 2024. The single-day tournament showcased an extensive spectrum of mechanics, challenging entrants to adapt rapidly between standard rotational cubes, triangular shapes, single-handed execution, and corner-turning axes. From foundational events to dynamic specialty categories, the meeting offered a complete test of versatility on the regional circuit.

The 2024 fixture drew both seasoned campaigners and enthusiastic debutants into the main arena at the Eagan Community Center. Staging such a broad range of disciplines required competitors to reset their finger patterns and spatial reasoning from one round to the next. That variety ensured the schedule moved at a brisk pace, creating a memorable day for everyone taking part in the cubing competition.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube, Carter Kucala set the pace against a field of 97 contenders through three demanding rounds of Rubik's Cube solving. Kucala secured top honours by delivering a decisive 8.02 winning average, backed by a best single solve of 6.56. Simon Kellum earned the silver step on the podium with an 8.79 mark, while James Ekins rounded out the top three by registering a solid 9.29 average in the final round to conclude the primary 3x3 results.

Beyond the classic cube, the pyramid-shaped Pyraminx event delivered lightning-fast action among 69 entrants across two rounds. Simon Kellum surged to the top of the standings with an average of 2.17, which included the day's best single of 1.79 in the category. Carter Kucala claimed second place with a 3.90 average, followed by Boyd Mayfield in third place with a 6.34 mark to complete an impressive display on the tetrahedral puzzle.

The corner-turning Skewb provided another major test of dexterity across two rounds featuring 46 participants. Carter Kucala took the win with a 3.41 average and a best single of 1.83, edging out Simon Kellum whose 3.45 average kept the contest exceptionally close until the final turn. Boyd Mayfield collected his second bronze medal of the day by securing third place with a 5.52 average.

Away from the top steps of the podium, Minnesota Newcomer Saturday 2024 provided the stage for major individual breakthroughs across multiple puzzle types. Fischer Bohmbach took on four disciplines, logging a first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a 9.39 and an opening Skewb effort of 12.85, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.58 that improved on a previous mark of 17.36 by 73.6 percent. Bruce Krube entered all five events, securing 11th place in Skewb while posting an initial 6.61 in Pyraminx, a 28.49 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and dropping his 2x2x2 Cube mark 55 percent to 2.93. Ethan Hall dropped his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 66.9 percent to 5.56, trimmed his 3x3x3 Cube time by 42.9 percent to 25.68, and took 15th place in Pyraminx with a 9.35 single. Levi Swartz contested five disciplines, posting an initial 13.55 in Skewb, a 1:34.88 in One-Handed, and a 40.1 percent cut to 6.69 on the 2x2x2 Cube.

Fresh faces also embraced the wider spectrum of events at their first official WCA competition. Silas Mapes tackled four events in his tournament debut, earning 13th place in Skewb with an 8.24 single while also recording an 8.24 in Pyraminx and a 16.81 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Austin Sabers entered all five events at his maiden outing, highlighted by a 21st place finish in Skewb with a 9.35 solve, alongside an opening 5.71 on the 2x2x2 Cube and 53.44 in One-Handed. Brendan Butler showed substantial multi-discipline progress, delivering an initial 1:10.08 in One-Handed while trimming his 3x3x3 Cube best to 18.66 and his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 6.51. Asher Kim registered a first Pyraminx solve of 12.50 while shaving 40 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube record down to 26.22.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed round required isolated dexterity, stripping away dual-hand grip techniques entirely. Simon Kellum mastered the single-handed style to take victory among 29 solvers with a 13.00 winning average and an 11.34 single solve. Carter Kucala followed in second place with a 14.01 average, while Andy Wong captured third place with a 14.93 mark. In the compact 2x2x2 Cube, Carter Kucala returned to the top of the table across three rounds, averaging 2.02 to finish ahead of Simon Kellum at 2.42 and Andy Wong at 3.73.

Across every format, Minnesota Newcomer Saturday 2024 proved how dynamic speed cubing can be when a full complement of puzzles is assembled under one roof. The combination of varied geometry, fast turnarounds, and accessible competition offered 98 participants a memorable benchmark for the speedcubing season ahead in Eagan.