Missouri Championship 2024

Justin Barker delivered the weekend standout performance in Lone Jack, Missouri, USA, taking the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a winning average of 7.99 seconds. Competitors made the journey across the region and beyond to assemble at the Lone Jack Civic Center from August 16 to August 18, filling the venue with intense solves across seventeen separate events. The three-day schedule brought together 91 solvers for a massive 32 rounds of action, celebrating the full breadth of modern speedcubing.

The 3x3 results formed the centerpiece of the tournament, drawing 90 entrants through three competitive rounds. Barker locked up the top step with his sub-eight-second final average, alongside a round-best single of 7.19 seconds. Curtis Chai pushed hard throughout the final to finish runner-up with an 8.51 average, while Zachary Johnson completed the podium in third place at 9.50. The event served as a testament to the high standards at this major WCA competition in the heart of Missouri.

Curtis Chai put on an absolute masterclass across the broader schedule, walking away with six individual victories. Chai secured the 2x2x2 Cube title with a blistering 1.46 average, the Pyraminx with a 3.08 mark, and the Skewb with a 5.01 average. Moving to the heavier puzzles, Chai captured the 4x4x4 Cube crown in 31.20, the 5x5x5 Cube in 1:04.15, and the Square-1 in 10.40. His rapid consistency also carried over into Clock, which he claimed in 4.50 seconds.

Beyond the classic Rubik's Cube variants, the larger cubes saw Chris Van Der Brink establish dominance on the long tables. Van Der Brink captured first place in the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning average of 2:10.47, holding off Barker and Chai. He doubled his tally in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a winning average of 3:15.53 with a best single of 3:13.35. In the Megaminx, Katie Hinkley stood atop the podium after averaging 48.65 across two rounds of play, while Zachary Johnson captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a 15.40 average.

Away from the top podium steps, several competitors who travelled into Lone Jack made memorable personal breakthroughs. Evan Morris logged an enormous improvement in Pyraminx, cutting his personal best down to 6.40 seconds from an earlier 11.90, an improvement of 46.2 percent, alongside a first attempt at Clock in 24.21. Alex Prohaska tackled fourteen events, taking fourth place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, achieving a first 3x3x3 Fewest Moves result of 32 moves, and slashing his 3x3x3 Blindfolded mark by 34.3 percent down to 2:28.21. Jeremiah Storm took on 13 events, finishing fifth in Clock and making initial tournament appearances in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 20.01 and 6x6x6 Cube at 2:54.26. Zebediah Yongo entered 10 events, logging a 28th-place finish in 6x6x6 Cube and setting first official times in Clock, Skewb, and Megaminx.

Other dedicated solvers embraced the challenge of stepping onto the stage in unfamiliar disciplines. Kellett Grisham took on 10 events, securing 26th place in the 7x7x7 Cube while logging initial times in Megaminx at 2:49.99 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 38.44. Dominic Brosi tackled nine events, producing first attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:38.92 and the 5x5x5 Cube with a 3:16.40. Howard Fields IV competed in 10 disciplines, posting debut marks of 1:56.43 in Megaminx and 27.85 in one-handed solving. William Griffith expanded his competitive repertoire across eight events, recording inaugural times of 14.62 in Clock and 2:37.60 in Megaminx.

The blindfolded and tactical formats brought rigorous mental discipline to the Missouri Championship 2024. Edward Vakula earned the 3x3x3 Blindfolded victory with a single solve of 2:06.25 across two rounds. Marcus Zook secured the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves title with a mean of 34.67 turns, highlighted by a best single solution of 32 moves. In the multi-cube blindfolded category, Alexander Wheeler turned in a flawless 13 out of 13 cubes in 53 minutes and 12 seconds, while also winning the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event with a time of 7:31.94.

The gathering in Lone Jack highlighted the dedication required to travel, practice, and execute on the official stage. Across all seventeen disciplines, the Missouri Championship 2024 proved to be an outstanding showcase of speed cubing talent in 2024, leaving the competitors ready for the challenges that lie ahead in the next season.