Please Don't Pop Austin 2024

Thirty competitors gathered in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia on March 30, 2024, to test their discipline across eleven rounds of intensive big-cube solving. Held at Pangsapuri Seri 18 (Cube 8 Teens), the single-day showcase concentrated strictly on larger puzzles ranging from four layers up to the massive seven-layer variant. Speedcubing in these higher-order events requires relentless stamina and split-second spatial judgment, and the young field wasted no time setting a blistering pace across all four disciplines on the schedule.

The 4x4x4 Cube opened with high stakes, featuring all 30 entrants battling through two rounds for a spot in the final. Firstian Fushada of Indonesia delivered an extraordinary performance to secure the championship, registering a winning average of 25.50 seconds alongside a best single of 21.61 seconds. Lim Hung of Malaysia followed in second place with an average of 28.82, while fellow countryman Tee Kai Yang took third with 29.31 seconds. In a discipline where mechanics must hold up under extreme turning velocity, the precision on display proved world class.

Action escalated in the 5x5x5 Cube, which spanned three competitive rounds among 28 entrants. Singapore's Emmanuel Kao clinched the top step of the podium with a composed 43.96 winning average and a best single of 40.73 seconds. Lim Hung earned his second silver medal of the competition with a 47.34 average, while Firstian Fushada claimed third at 47.64. The event demanded flawless edge pairing and high-speed core control, leaving virtually no margin for turning mistakes across the extended five-solve averages.

The 6x6x6 Cube brought 23 competitors to the solving tables for three demanding rounds. Lim Hung captured the title outright for Malaysia, averaging 1:20.12 and logging the weekend's best single of 1:17.68. Firstian Fushada took second place with a 1:22.88 average, narrowly holding off Emmanuel Kao, who rounded out the podium at 1:23.60. Unlike traditional Rubik's Cube solving, the six-layer puzzle introduces parity challenges and high piece counts that punish hesitation, making sub-eighty-second averages remarkably difficult to achieve.

The longest and most intricate event of the day was the 7x7x7 Cube, which also drew 23 competitors across three rounds. Anyu Zhang of China took gold with an outstanding 1:58.75 average, backed by a tournament-best single of 1:45.15. Lim Hung continued his prolific run with a second-place finish of 2:05.58, followed by Emmanuel Kao in third with a 2:11.02 average. The grueling solve times tested both physical endurance and tactical lookahead from start to finish.

Beyond the championship races, the weekend provided an incredible platform for emerging solvers making massive leaps in form. Kua Ming Heng took on four events and delivered staggering progress, dropping his 6x6x6 Cube personal best to 2:36.99 to finish 33.9 percent faster than his prior mark of 3:57.63, while slicing 29.3 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube mark down to 48.47 and 18.3 percent off his 5x5x5 Cube best down to 1:18.47. Daniel Ng entered four events, earned an eighth-place best finish in the 5x5x5 Cube, improved his 5x5x5 Cube best by 23.9 percent down to 40.96, and bettered his 7x7x7 Cube time by 7.5 percent to 2:45.81.

Fresh milestones kept emerging as competitors pushed into unfamiliar territory. Muhammad Fateh Akhir Bin Mohd Taib entered all four events on the schedule and recorded three brand-new official attempts: logging a 5:38.09 in the 7x7x7 Cube, a 3:10.78 in the 6x6x6 Cube, and a 1:32.97 in the 5x5x5 Cube. Ng Jun Hao took on two events and recorded his first official attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube with a mark of 2:38.39. Marcus Chew Enxun tackled four events, claimed a 16th-place finish in the 4x4x4 Cube, dropped his 7x7x7 Cube best by 15.9 percent to 3:08.49, lowered his 6x6x6 Cube best by 11 percent to 1:57.65, and set a 5x5x5 Cube mark of 1:06.57. Chan Yong Kai contested four events, earning a 15th-place finish in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 7.2 percent improvement to 39.68 and a 5.4 percent drop in the 5x5x5 Cube to 1:11.33.

The podium count at Please Don't Pop Austin 2024 reflected broad international excellence, with Malaysia taking five podium spots, Indonesia and Singapore capturing three apiece, and China securing one. Even at a specialized speed cubing gathering focused strictly on big cubes without traditional 3x3 results, the depth of talent was clear across every round. The high level of execution demonstrated throughout this WCA competition confirmed that Johor Bahru continues to be a vibrant center for the regional cubing competition circuit as these developing competitors advance.

By the close of Please Don't Pop Austin 2024, the combination of dominant performances from established champions and sweeping personal bests from the next wave of solvers cemented the event as a resounding success. With technical execution improving at such a rapid pace, the stage is set for an exciting year ahead on the international stage.

Dewan di Pangsapuri Seri 18 (Cube 8 Teens) dipenuhi tumpuan padu para peserta yang bersedia di meja susunan ketika pemasa sedia mencatat setiap detik. Kejohanan Please Don't Pop Austin 2024 yang berlangsung pada 30 Mac 2024 di Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia menghimpunkan 30 peserta berbakat dari pelbagai negara. Dengan 11 pusingan merentasi empat acara kategori kiub besar, laluan menuju ke pusingan akhir menuntut ketepatan mutlak serta kawalan jari yang sempurna tanpa sebarang kesilapan teknikal.

Bagi setiap peserta yang berentap dalam pertandingan cubing ini, kedalaman bakat yang hadir menjadikan setiap pusingan kelayakan sangat mencabar. Memandangkan kejohanan ini memfokuskan kepada acara kiub besar yang memerlukan tahap konsistensi tinggi, jurang masa antara peserta di kedudukan atas dan mereka di luar kelompok akhir amat tipis. Setiap pusingan memaksa para peserta mengeluarkan kepantasan maksimum bagi memastikan slot ke penentuan podium tidak terlepas begitu sahaja.

Dalam acara 4x4x4 Cube, Firstian Fushada (符逢城) dari Indonesia mempamerkan penguasaan luar biasa untuk merangkul kejuaraan dengan purata kemenangan 25.50 serta catatan masa perseorangan terbaik 21.61. Beliau mengatasi saingan sengit daripada wakil tuan rumah Malaysia, Lim Hung (林弘), yang menamatkan saingan di tempat kedua dengan purata 28.82. Tempat ketiga disambar oleh Tee Kai Yang dari Malaysia yang mencatatkan purata 29.31 dalam aksi akhir yang penuh debaran.

Acara 5x5x5 Cube pula menyaksikan Emmanuel Kao dari Singapura muncul sebagai juara selepas melakar purata masa 43.96 dan catatan perseorangan terpantas 40.73 selepas tiga pusingan sengit. Lim Hung (林弘) sekali lagi membuktikan kehebatannya dengan meraih tempat kedua menerusi purata 47.34. Firstian Fushada (符逢城) melengkapkan kedudukan podium di tempat ketiga dengan catatan purata 47.64 dalam saingan speedcubing yang menuntut ketahanan mental ini.

Di sebalik perebutan podium utama, kejohanan WCA competition ini turut menyaksikan peningkatan prestasi peribadi yang sangat membanggakan daripada para peserta. Koh Zi Yi menyertai empat acara dan melakar percubaan rasmi pertamanya dalam 7x7x7 Cube dengan masa 3:46.99, di samping memperbaiki catatan peribadi 5x5x5 Cube kepada 1:01.85 iaitu 7.3 peratus lebih pantas berbanding rekod lama 1:06.73, serta memperbaharui masa 4x4x4 Cube kepada 32.94. Sandra Devi turut mencatat pencapaian cemerlang apabila memperbaharui rekod peribadi 4x4x4 Cube miliknya kepada 38.65, mencatat peningkatan 7 peratus lebih pantas berbanding 41.55.

Kecemerlangan ini diteruskan oleh Bryan Gan Tze Yang (顏子洋) yang memperbaharui rekod peribadi 6x6x6 Cube kepada 1:49.78 iaitu 5.3 peratus lebih pantas daripada 1:55.90, serta memotong masa 5x5x5 Cube kepada 1:03.00 iaitu 5.1 peratus lebih laju. Ng Mun Hin merekodkan masa peribadi terbaik 1:09.85 dalam 5x5x5 Cube yang 5.4 peratus lebih pantas daripada 1:13.81 dan turut mencatat 33.86 dalam 4x4x4 Cube. Tan Kang Rui memperbaiki catatan 4x4x4 Cube kepada 39.10 berbanding 40.45 dahulu iaitu 3.3 peratus lebih pantas, manakala Samuel Lai (赖文辉) menunjukkan ketahanan dalam empat acara dengan penamat terbaik di tempat ke-10 bagi acara 7x7x7 Cube.

Kehangatan di meja pertandingan diteruskan menerusi kategori 6x6x6 Cube di mana wakil Malaysia, Lim Hung (林弘), dinobatkan sebagai juara selepas mencatat purata cemerlang 1:20.12 dan masa perseorangan terbaik 1:17.68. Firstian Fushada (符逢城) menyusul di tempat kedua dengan purata 1:22.88, manakala Emmanuel Kao menduduki tangga ketiga dengan purata 1:23.60. Pusingan akhir kategori ini membuktikan kepakaran teknikal para peserta dalam mengendalikan kiub bersaiz besar.

Kemuncak persaingan kiub paling kompleks hadir menerusi acara 7x7x7 Cube yang menuntut daya fokus tinggi bagi menyelesaikan setiap lapisan teka-teki Rubik's Cube gergasi ini. Anyu Zhang (张安宇) dari China berjaya meraih kejuaraan bergaya dengan catatan purata 1:58.75 serta masa perseorangan terpantas 1:45.15. Lim Hung (林弘) meraih satu lagi kedudukan podium di tempat kedua dengan purata 2:05.58, diekori Emmanuel Kao di tempat ketiga dengan catatan 2:11.02.

Secara keseluruhan, pungutan podium memperlihatkan kekuatan serantau dengan Malaysia meraih 5 kedudukan podium, diikuti Indonesia dan Singapura dengan masing-masing 3 podium, serta China dengan 1 podium. Edisi Please Don't Pop Austin 2024 di Johor Bahru pada tahun 2024 ini membuktikan bahawa kedalaman bakat komuniti kiub terus berkembang pesat, menetapkan penanda aras baharu bagi kejohanan kiub besar yang bakal menjelang.