North Tasmania Spring 2024

A blistering 1.84 second average on the 2x2x2 Cube by Jode Brewster set the tone for an intense day of competition at Exeter Primary School. Solvers gathered across the state and beyond, but Brewster proved almost unstoppable on October 27, 2024. Across five events and six rounds of action, local rivalries flourished on the solving tables, bringing high-stakes match-ups to Exeter, Tasmania, Australia in the heart of the southern spring.

The one-day WCA competition brought together 35 competitors testing their skill and reaction time. Brewster swept through nearly every discipline, securing four gold medals out of five. In the marquee 3x3x3 Cube event, Brewster logged a sharp 7.08 winning average and the best single of the day at 6.73, holding off a fierce challenge from Leeah Gard-Spaulding, who secured second with an average of 10.67.

The duel between Brewster and Gard-Spaulding framed the entire cubing competition. While Brewster claimed the top spot in 3x3x3 Cube, 2x2x2 Cube, 4x4x4 Cube, and Skewb, Gard-Spaulding pushed back in Megaminx. Facing 12 competitors in the 12-sided puzzle contest, Gard-Spaulding captured first place with an impressive 1:05.43 average and a 55.62 best single, leaving Veer Liu Dogra in second at 1:18.52 and Beren Fontana in third at 1:42.67.

In the 4x4x4 Cube, Brewster topped the 18-player field with a winning mark of 31.87 and a best single of 29.11. Fontana captured the silver medal with an average of 42.74, while Gard-Spaulding claimed the bronze at 45.87. The battle continued in the Skewb event, where Brewster took gold with a 4.48 average, followed by Dogra in second with 5.93 and Gard-Spaulding picking up another podium place in third with 7.92.

A major regional battle unfolded in the 2x2x2 Cube, where 30 competitors went head to head. Brewster took the victory with a 1.84 average, while Gard-Spaulding finished second with a 2.83 average and Dogra took third at 4.20. Joey Cavanagh followed closely in fourth at 4.39, while Eli Taylor earned fifth with a 4.52 average. Fontana placed sixth with a 4.63 mark, and Sam Langerak finished seventh with a 4.69 average.

Beyond the podium battles, North Tasmania Spring 2024 highlighted massive personal milestones for rising solvers across the region. Sam Langerak cut their previous 2x2x2 Cube personal record down to 3.05, representing an improvement of 40 percent, while also recording a first official Skewb attempt of 10.49 and a first 4x4x4 Cube result of 2:03.88 across four events. Elisha Deegan delivered a standout breakthrough on the classic Rubik's Cube, dropping their single to 1:03.11, which was 52.8 percent faster than their prior mark. Digby Harrison logged a first official 2x2x2 Cube mark of 19.15 and improved their 3x3x3 single to 44.36, trimming 34 percent off their past best.

International entrant William Larsen from the Netherlands contested five events at the competition, achieving a personal record of 1:11.07 on the 4x4x4 Cube to beat their former benchmark by 17.7 percent, alongside a first Skewb solve of 19.17 and a best finish of ninth in 4x4x4 Cube. Brad Deegan took on five events and sliced 32.9 percent off their previous Megaminx best with a new 2:15.30 mark, finishing in eighth place. Eli Taylor set a Skewb personal record of 7.01, a 28.9 percent drop, while taking fifth in 2x2x2 Cube. Joey Cavanagh achieved a personal best of 5.05 in Skewb, which was 31.2 percent faster than before, and Henry Lovett made their tournament debut across three events, highlighted by a first official 2x2x2 Cube solve of 6.10.

The 3x3 results across the two rounds confirmed the quality of speedcubing talent in the state. Brewster led the pack throughout the preliminary and final rounds, while Fontana earned a spot on the premier podium by posting an average of 11.75 to finish behind Brewster and Gard-Spaulding. All 15 podium places across the weekend were earned by Australian competitors in a fierce showing of domestic ability.

With its packed schedule and competitive fields, North Tasmania Spring 2024 delivered an exceptional showcase of speed cubing excellence in Exeter. From seasoned champions trading fast solves at the top of the standings to newcomers logging their very first official attempts, the gathering proved to be a memorable day of puzzle solving as the 2024 season progressed.