PBs in Palisades 2024

Inside the bustling corridors of the Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York, USA, tables were neatly aligned and timers readied on February 17, 2024. Competitors adjusted their seating, arranged their mats, and performed their warm-up rotations before the opening call. The atmosphere across the venue carried the distinct rhythm of rapid turns and clicking plastic as 100 competitors gathered to take part in PBs in Palisades 2024. With five official events scheduled across 12 fast-paced rounds, the single-day program offered a packed test of skill for every entrant.

The morning schedule opened with intense qualifying action across multiple categories as solvers looked to lock in solid marks. Speedcubing enthusiasts tackled early rounds of Pyraminx, Skewb, and the 2x2x2 Cube to set the tone for the day. Across these fast disciplines, precision mattered on every turn. In the Pyraminx event featuring 80 competitors over two rounds, Kyle Meade emerged on top with a winning average of 1.76 seconds after posting a best single of 1.50. Shaun Mack secured second place with a 2.52 average, followed by Dylan Chan in third at 2.69 seconds.

As midday approached at this WCA competition, Kyle Meade carried that strong form straight into Skewb, which drew a field of 69 competitors across two rounds. Meade captured the title by securing an average of 2.98 seconds, backed by a best single of 1.97. Ayden Dincher finished as the runner-up with an average of 3.13 seconds, while Ryan Hughes rounded out the podium in third place with 3.54 seconds. The early afternoon demonstrated how tightly contested the podium races would be across the roster.

The 2x2x2 Cube brought massive participation, with 92 competitors battling through three full rounds. Quinn Maloney claimed the top step on the podium, winning the final with an average of 1.42 seconds and a sharp 1.13 single. Shaun Mack collected another podium finish by taking second place with a 1.64 average, while Kyle Meade claimed third with a mark of 1.74. The high level of competition across the bracket made the 2x2x2 Cube one of the most intense contests of the meeting.

Beyond the championship races, the floor featured remarkable individual milestones across every stage. Stanley Chen made massive strides in the 2x2x2 Cube, recording a personal best of 2.87 seconds to improve 43.3 percent over his previous best of 5.06, while also setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 13.95 across his two events. Hudson Hassan took on five events at PBs in Palisades 2024, delivering his first ever attempt at Square-1 with a 21.95 while shaving 39.3 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark for a 1.64 personal best and cutting his Skewb best by 27.2 percent to 6.78. Nevin Stephens completed four events, registering a first ever attempt at Skewb in 20.65, dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 37.9 percent to 22.63, and lowering his 2x2x2 Cube time by 17.9 percent to 5.24. Ethan Lin competed across three categories, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 2.09, which was 34.5 percent faster, while dropping his Pyraminx best by 17.6 percent to 7.36 and his 3x3x3 Cube best to 16.13.

New event debuts continued to define the personal journeys at PBs in Palisades 2024. Maxim Kanshin competed in four events and logged three brand new disciplines, recording a first ever attempt at Skewb in 13.01, a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 3.82, and a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 10.32. Eric Yu tackled five events, making his first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 4.69 and his first ever attempt at Skewb in 14.68, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.64 that was 20.9 percent faster. Dylan Nickelsburg entered four events and posted first attempts in Pyraminx at 4.80 and Skewb at 6.17, while advancing his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 8.94. Daniel Ju also embraced a busy five-event slate, recording a first ever attempt at Square-1 in 40.06, a first ever attempt at Skewb in 15.38, and a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 11.47.

Specialist solving took the stage later in the afternoon with Square-1, a puzzle requiring distinct spatial reasoning. The event featured 45 competitors competing across two rounds. Shaun Mack produced a decisive performance to earn first place, averaging 9.95 seconds with a best single of 8.66. Zach Ridall claimed second place with a 10.24 average, narrowly edging out Ayden Dincher, who posted a 10.41 average to take third place.

The competition concluded with the classic 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, which engaged all 100 competitors over three rounds of speed cubing action. In the final round, Carson Widjaja delivered winning 3x3 results by posting a commanding 6.37 average, highlighted by the best single of the event at 5.83 seconds. Shaun Mack completed a multi-podium day by finishing second with a 6.77 average, while Aaron Jake Wong secured third place with an average of 7.95 seconds.

As the awards concluded and timers were packed away, the United States accounted for all 15 podium places awarded during the event. From standout personal bests to decisive final rounds, PBs in Palisades 2024 closed an action-packed 2024 gathering in West Nyack, leaving the local cubing competition scene ready for the challenges of the season ahead.