Please Be Clocked Cape Town 2024

Six competitors took to the tables at Kirstenhof Primary School for Please Be Clocked Cape Town 2024 on June 29, 2024. The single-day WCA competition delivered a concentrated showcase of specialized disciplines in Cape Town, South Africa. Seasoned competitors proved their pedigree across seven demanding rounds, demonstrating steady form and deep familiarity with complex puzzle variants ranging from oversized layers to sightless execution.

Veteran solver Timothy Lawrance showcased sharp recall and execution across the blindfolded events. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Lawrance claimed the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 1:43.68, backed by a best single of 1:22.01. Maverick Pearson followed in second place with a single of 2:20.52, while Raphael Fast finished third with 2:43.32. Lawrance later added another gold in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, recording a winning single of 16:44.00 to cap an exceptional showcase of memory discipline.

Maverick Pearson demonstrated commanding versatility across multiple puzzle categories throughout the day. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Pearson captured victory with a 1:26.23 winning average and a single of 1:20.63. Fast secured the second spot at 1:32.57, and Daniel David Mizen took third at 1:44.67. Pearson also led the field in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, securing first place by solving 8 of 9 cubes within 51:34, while Fast managed 2 of 2 in 14:53 and Lawrance logged 7 of 14 in 1:00:00.

The tactical demands of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves drew all six participants into deliberate calculation. Raphael Fast earned the win by completing the challenge in 30 moves, edging out Lawrance who secured second with 31 moves. Mizen claimed the third podium position with a single of 48 moves. While standard 3x3 results often hinge on outright turning speed, this discipline rewarded strategic planning and deep mechanical understanding of the Rubik's Cube.

In the mechanical rhythm of Clock, Daniel David Mizen delivered the standout performance of the day. Mizen secured victory with an 8.12 winning average and a single of 6.27 across five competitors. Pearson finished in second place with an average of 11.47, while Micah Willenburgh rounded out the top three with 12.73. The bracket highlighted the technical precision required to balance speed and accuracy on the geared puzzle.

The tournament floor also held important milestones away from the podium spotlight. Oluncedo Kunju took part in their first WCA competition at Please Be Clocked Cape Town 2024, stepping directly into challenging territory by entering two demanding events. Kunju secured a best finish of 4th place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves and completed a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a mark of 2:42.25, establishing an official baseline alongside seasoned peers.

The 4x4x4 Blindfolded event pushed solving limits, ending without a completed solve as both Pearson and Lawrance recorded DNF marks. Across all podiums during the cubing competition, South African solvers claimed 15 positions while Canadian representative Fast secured four. The compact schedule allowed entrants to fully engage with niche formats that rarely share the center stage at larger open events in the 2024 speed cubing calendar.

With seven distinct events decided in a single day, Please Be Clocked Cape Town 2024 highlighted the endurance and technical depth of its lineup. From precision blindfolded attempts to calibrated turns on large puzzles, the speedcubing gathering in Cape Town brought veteran composure to the forefront, setting a strong standard as solvers look ahead to the next season of competitive play.