Ottawa Blindfolded 2024

Inside the Carleton University Teraanga Commons, quiet focus replaced the usual chaotic rattle of turning puzzles. The specialty discipline format of the weekend shared deep roots with the methodical patience of Fewest Moves, where competitors work in total concentration rather than frantic rushing. Speedcubing often prioritizes raw turning pace, but events reliant on memory and meticulous planning demand an entirely separate mindset. In this setting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on November 16, 2024, competitors gathered to tackle some of the most mentally exhausting puzzles on the official roster.

The one-day cubing competition brought together 15 competitors across 5 events and 6 rounds of action. Leading the charge across the blindfolded events was American standout Rowe Hessler, who demonstrated elite consistency and precision throughout the day. In the standard blindfolded event, solvers rely on memory routes to navigate the scrambled layers of a standard Rubik's Cube without sight, balancing rapid inspection with mistake-free execution. Hessler set the standard early and maintained his advantage through both rounds of the event.

In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded final, Rowe Hessler secured first place with a winning average of 22.54 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 18.53 seconds. Canada's Bernabe Kondrak claimed the second step on the podium with a 29.66 average, while Ben Bergen took third place with an average of 1:10.46. Fans reviewing the 3x3 results from the blindfolded brackets saw Hessler dominate across the board, setting an unmatched standard in the venue across both preliminary and final rounds of play.

Hessler continued his sweep in the larger blindfolded puzzles. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, which drew 8 competitors, Hessler earned first place with a single of 2:31.94, while Bernabe Kondrak finished second with 13:08.00 and Jonathan Proulx placed third with 33:55.00. The grueling 5x5x5 Blindfolded event featured 3 competitors, where Hessler locked in the win with a 6:13.06 average and a best single of 5:16.57. Kondrak followed in second place with a single of 16:39.00, while Breton MacDonald rounded out the podium in third place.

Beyond the podium battles, Ottawa Blindfolded 2024 showcased remarkable individual progress away from the top spots on the standings sheet. Eris McElroy delivered the weekend's biggest personal jump, shaving 22.5 percent off their personal best in Clock to post a 6.65 mark on the way to a 4th-place finish. Abdullah Gulab tackled 4 events during the meet, capturing 4th place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded and improving their Clock personal best by 18.7 percent down to 6.59. Reid Robblee took on 2 events, securing 5th place in Clock with a new personal best of 7.49 that was 6.5 percent faster than their prior mark.

Other competitors also made their presence felt across varied disciplines during Ottawa Blindfolded 2024. Tadeo Kondrak entered 4 separate events, achieving a 4th-place finish in 4x4x4 Blindfolded and lowering their Clock personal best by 6.2 percent to 12.87. Twyla Renée McElroy focused on Clock, securing an 8th-place finish with a personal best of 9.88. Julia Fitzner also targeted Clock, earning 11th place, while Peter Osudar took on 3 distinct events and earned a weekend best of 6th place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind.

The marathon 3x3x3 Multi-Blind round tested extreme endurance, challenging participants to memorize and solve multiple puzzles consecutively within an hour window. Rowe Hessler topped the 8-competitor field by successfully solving 50 out of 60 cubes in exactly 1:00:00. Bernabe Kondrak delivered a strong performance to finish second with 23 out of 27 cubes in 58:19, while Elijah De Groote completed the podium in third place with 4 out of 6 cubes in 49:47.

The lone non-blind event of Ottawa Blindfolded 2024 was Clock, which injected high-speed dexterity into the afternoon schedule. India's Darshan Bhavanasi claimed victory with an impressive 5.13 average and a round-best single of 4.62 seconds. Jonathan Proulx earned second place with a 6.25 average, and Rémi Chrétien finished third with a 7.77 average. Across every round, this official WCA competition proved that precision, focus, and classic speed cubing fundamentals could thrive side by side.