Naticube 2024

Seventy-seven competitors gathered at the Natick Elks Lodge #1425 on February 17, 2024, turning a single Saturday into a bustling celebration of puzzles and camaraderie. The gathering in Natick, Massachusetts, USA, brought together veterans and newcomers across seven diverse disciplines and 11 fast-paced rounds. Between events, participants traded techniques, shared scrambles, and supported friends across every tier of the standings, highlighting the warm social fabric that defines a local WCA competition in New England.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive field of 75 competitors over three stages of play, concluding with a dramatic duel for top honors. Curtis Chai secured the title with a tournament-winning average of 7.94 seconds, edging Gabriel Garber Burd by a solitary hundredth of a second as Burd recorded a 7.95 runner-up average. Elijah Rain Phelps claimed third step on the podium with an 8.35 average, while Chai also captured the round best single solve of 6.24 seconds. The tight 3x3 results demonstrated how competitive local speedcubing has become in 2024.

Beyond the traditional Rubik's Cube, Chai continued his prolific run in the two-layer event. Across two rounds featuring 60 competitors, Chai clinched the 2x2x2 Cube title with an exceptional 1.76 average and a blistering 1.00 best single. Saisabari Ramesh captured second place with a 2.37 average, while Phelps earned another podium finish in third with 2.44. The competition featured a deep roster of sub-four averages, generating strong marks and energetic exchanges among finalists who shared algorithms in the warm-up areas throughout the afternoon.

Elijah Rain Phelps emerged as the most versatile performer of the weekend by capturing victories across two distinct specialty puzzles. In Clock, Phelps led 37 entrants with a winning 5.94 average and a 5.12 single, finishing ahead of Brazil's Thiago Han with 8.00 and Chai with 8.05. Phelps returned to the table for Square-1, mastering the shape-shifting puzzle to win with a 7.77 average over Levi Gibson with 11.40 and Alex Cheng with 13.89. In total, Phelps earned podium finishes in four separate events across the day.

The larger puzzles and single-handed challenges delivered intense action during the middle sessions. Jonah Crosby dominated the 4x4x4 Cube, outpacing 46 competitors with a commanding 28.56 winning average and a 26.25 single, leaving Phelps in second with 33.45 and Chai in third with 34.56. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Peter Ha controlled the field of 41 entrants to claim victory with a 12.69 average and 12.29 single, clear of Burd in second with 14.26 and Chai in third with 15.34. The 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline went to Thiago Han, who posted a 28.71 winning single, ahead of Caleb Retik with 45.37 and Daniel Winterberg with 2:08.21.

Beyond the podium ceremonies, Naticube 2024 showcased remarkable breakthroughs from competitors expanding their repertoires. Eliot Stevens achieved a massive personal best in Clock, dropping from 1:17.90 to 20.84 seconds, a 73.2 percent improvement, while also setting personal bests in 3x3x3 Cube with 19.18 and 4x4x4 Cube with 2:17.93. Holden Schwartz chopped 62.8 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube mark with a new 3.98 personal best. Corbin Searle lowered their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 46.7 percent to 22.45 seconds while logging their first official attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with 8.13. Winston Cheng secured sixth place in 2x2x2 Cube with a 1.75 personal best, 41.3 percent faster than before, while also recording an initial Clock attempt of 15.28.

The weekend also served as an inviting launchpad for ambitious multi-event entries and official debuts. Maximilian Hannon tackled six events, achieving 21st place in Square-1 with a 48.54 personal best that improved by 40.3 percent over a previous 1:21.27, alongside maiden attempts in 2x2x2 Cube with 4.52 and 3x3x3 One-Handed with 29.96. Kevin Veronneau took on seven events, securing sixth place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 3:06.52 first attempt and dropping their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 26 percent to 9.43. Henry Thrasher entered five events, taking fifth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 2:49.70 debut solve, while Richard Chang completed their first cubing competition across three events, finishing 45th in 4x4x4 Cube with a 3:23.43 initial attempt.

As the final timers were packed away, Naticube 2024 highlighted the enduring charm of regional speed cubing gatherings. Competitors from the United States and Brazil claimed 21 total podium placements across the day, supported by families and peers who spent the single-day program sharing timers and solving strategies. The event proved that regardless of whether a solver aims for sub-eight 3x3 averages or completes a blindfolded solve for the first time, community spirit remains the heart of the sport heading into the next season.