New Ulm Reboot 2024

The 3x3x3 Cube final came down to the wire at the New Ulm Community Center, where Brody Rhoades secured the premier title with an exceptional 8.65 winning average over three tightly contested rounds. In a tense finish that tested every drop of composure on the competition mat, Rhoades edged out Nathan Rahn, who posted a 9.35 average, and Charles Koebele, who finished in third place at 9.55. Rhoades also recorded the best single solve of the entire discipline with a rapid 6.68. It was a clutch finale that defined the standard of play throughout the day.

Held in New Ulm, Minnesota, USA on April 6, 2024, New Ulm Reboot 2024 gathered a field of 59 competitors across 5 events and 11 rounds of action. Speedcubing enthusiasts from across the region filled the venue for a packed single-day schedule of classic Rubik's Cube solving and specialized side puzzles. The atmosphere inside the community hall reflected the focus of a premier cubing competition, where split-second turn speed and calm execution decided places on the podium across every category.

While Rhoades owned the final moments of the 3x3 discipline, the wider weekend belonged to Tyler Johnson, who put together a remarkable triple-victory performance. Johnson took first place in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 33.25 average and a 29.23 best single, ahead of Charles Koebele at 34.24 and Rhoades at 36.04. Johnson then secured top honors in Skewb with a 3.26 winning average, edging out Nathan Rahn's 3.50 and John Wheeler's 4.64. He capped his dominant day in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a 2:34.05 average to seal his third title of the meet.

Nathan Rahn also made his mark on the tournament ledger by taking gold in Clock with a 4.04 average and a 3.10 single. That result was just enough to withstand a fierce challenge from Volodymyr Kapustianskyi of Ukraine, who finished second with a 4.07 average, while Anders Peterson took third in 6.79. Across the entire prize list, competitors representing the United States claimed 14 podium places, alongside a single international podium finish from Kapustianskyi. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Chris Van Der Brink placed second behind Johnson with a 3:47.04 average, and Koebele collected his second podium of the meet in 3:53.70.

Beyond the championship podiums, New Ulm Reboot 2024 featured notable individual leaps forward across the full bracket of entrants. Matias Grandouiller put together massive improvements across multiple formats, dropping his Clock personal best to 9.21, a remarkable 56.5 percent drop from his previous 21.19, while also cutting his Skewb mark by 50.1 percent to 4.42 and improving his 3x3 time to 13.15. Glenn Trautman III also logged huge strides, lowering his Clock best to 15.18 for a 41 percent improvement and shaving his 3x3 best down to 17.99, which was 29.8 percent faster. Xavier Bunzli achieved a 33.2 percent cut in Skewb with a 6.78 mark to secure a 19th place finish, while Ryan Boggs improved his 3x3 personal record by 34.1 percent with a 20.98 single.

Fresh faces taking on new challenges gave the day its deeper competitive rhythm. Alec Jordan entered his first WCA competition, tackling 5 events and taking 11th in the 7x7x7 Cube alongside a 16.82 on his first 3x3 attempt. Peter Schwoch also made his official debut across 4 events, recording a 15.42 in his first Clock run and an 8.27 on his first Skewb attempt. Harrison Chandler stepped up across 5 events, earning 8th place in the 7x7x7 Cube with an initial 7:13.73 single while also making his first competitive appearances in Clock at 12.37 and 4x4 at 1:05.82. Adit Thakur delivered an 18.9 percent drop in 3x3 down to 25.59 and posted a first Clock mark of 35.51.

The 3x3 results throughout the earlier stages showcased tremendous depth in the field. Multiple competitors logged sub-ten-second times during the preliminary stages, including Brody Meschke with a 7.25 single and a 9.57 average, and Tyler Johnson, who recorded a 7.68 single and an 8.93 average in the event. James Ekins posted a 9.14 single and a 10.36 average, while Colombia's Santiago Solano Zarate delivered an 8.95 single and a 10.90 average. Chris Van Der Brink, Tyler Youlden, and Cadel Dozier also turned in strong rounds to push the pace in the 59-competitor field.

From high-stakes final solves to quiet personal milestones across the tables, the single-day gathering provided everything that makes speed cubing such a compelling sport. Organizers managed 11 rounds with precision, giving solvers of all skill levels the platform to test their training on official timers. As competitors packed their puzzles and departed the New Ulm Community Center, New Ulm Reboot 2024 stood as a prime example of Minnesota cubing talent firing on all cylinders.