Moonbow Mega Kentucky 2024

Luke Griesser delivered a masterclass at the Williamsburg Convention Center, taking top honours across three separate events highlighted by a blistering 6.10 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube. Held on March 30, 2024, Moonbow Mega Kentucky 2024 brought 60 competitors to Williamsburg, Kentucky, USA for a packed single-day programme. The intensity was palpable across 12 full rounds of action, where deep brackets ensured that making any final round required absolute consistency and zero errors from the opening solves.

The flagship Rubik's Cube event drew 59 competitors, making it the most heavily contested discipline of the entire cubing competition. Griesser set the standard early by posting a single of 4.35 and an average of 5.77 during preliminary action before closing out the final with a 6.10 mark and a 5.38 best single. Miles Lentz secured second place with a 7.79 average, while Cayden O'Neal rounded out the podium in third with an 8.54 average. Navigating through multiple cuts to secure top-tier 3x3 results proved to be an uphill battle for the deep field.

The 4x4x4 Cube contest demanded immense technical control across two demanding rounds featuring 43 competitors. Griesser once again rose above the field, capturing first place with a winning average of 28.13 and a single of 25.69. Michael Larsen followed in second place with an average of 33.81, while Evan Brown claimed third place with a 36.61 average. The narrow gaps throughout the intermediate round proved how unforgiving the tournament format was for anyone attempting to reach the podium in mid-sized puzzles.

Megaminx action was especially rigorous, requiring three separate rounds to whittle down a field of 41 entrants. Griesser completed his trio of gold finishes by taking the win with a 44.55 average and a 42.00 single. Eddie Smith performed steadily to take the second podium step with a 50.51 average, while Javier Gonzalez-Napoleoni earned third place with a mark of 57.44. The sheer stamina needed to solve the dodecahedral puzzle across three rounds highlighted the high competitive bar established at Moonbow Mega Kentucky 2024.

Beyond the multi-round battles, Michael Larsen showcased remarkable skill in the specialised events. Larsen won the 6x6x6 Cube with a 2:04.25 average and a 1:56.44 single, holding off Griesser who took second in 2:07.31 and Brown who secured third in 2:08.24 across 32 competitors. Larsen returned to the top of the table in Square-1, recording a 15.73 average and a 12.73 single in a direct 30-person final. Griesser followed closely behind in second with a 16.96 average, and Brown collected another podium placement with 19.45 for third.

The Clock tournament offered dramatic finishes among 42 competitors over two fast-paced rounds. Evan Brown emerged victorious by putting together a 5.27 average alongside a best single of 5.11. Harrison Mullins took second place with a solid 6.08 average, and Tate Sullivan captured the third podium spot with 7.12. The rapid-fire push for podium spots across all six disciplines demonstrated the sheer depth of speedcubing talent assembled on the competition floor.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across new events and personal bests. Lucas Vinton made a first career attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:29.97, while improving his Clock personal best to 11.32 by dropping 52.7 percent off his previous record and reducing his 3x3x3 Cube time by 42.2 percent down to 17.67. Stetson Johnson entered all six events, cutting 60.5 percent off his Square-1 personal best to finish in 17.02, while also taking 39.4 percent off his Megaminx mark down to 2:16.01 and logging a 9.50 Clock single. Grayson Hunt tackled five events, making first attempts in Megaminx with 2:51.99 and Square-1 with 31.83, while improving in Clock to 10.50. Asa Bergstrom entered three events, logging a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:49.26, a first Clock attempt of 13.52, and an 11.8 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Cube to 22.55.

First-time official attempts and heavy workloads continued across the roster throughout the day. Bryce Foster tackled all six events, recording first career attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube at 41.37, the 6x6x6 Cube at 3:14.29, and Square-1 at 33.51 on the way to a sixth-place finish in Clock. Jeremiah Miracle registered first attempts in Square-1 at 27.15, 4x4x4 Cube at 58.59, and Megaminx at 2:16.40. Marshall William Davis took on four events in their first official WCA competition, recording initial marks of 12.13 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 15.83 in Clock, and 2:26.83 in Megaminx. Riley Strahan also made their competition debut, putting up first attempts of 31.09 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 3:57.49 in Megaminx.

With 18 total podium places contested exclusively among United States competitors, the event proved how competitive the regional scene has become. Speed cubing in the area continues to flourish as emerging solvers test themselves against established champions in high-pressure rounds. The successful execution of Moonbow Mega Kentucky 2024 highlighted both the exceptional standard at the top of the leaderboards and the dedication of every competitor who stepped up to solve.