Poway Cubing Winter 2024

106 competitors assembled at the Mickey Cafagna Community Center as the new season burst into life at Poway Cubing Winter 2024. Staged on January 20, 2024, in Poway, California, USA, the single-day WCA competition served as an immediate proving ground for solvers looking to establish their form in the opening weeks of the year. Featuring 11 rounds across five distinct events, the tournament tested versatility, quick reflexes, and mental endurance under pressure. From standard Rubik's Cube specialists to multi-event contenders tackling unusual rotation mechanisms, the gathering signaled high ambitions for the long competitive year ahead.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a bustling field of 104 competitors through three tense rounds of competition. When the final round dust settled, Brendyn Dunagan claimed the gold medal with a winning average of 6.59 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 5.70. Dunagan demonstrated remarkable consistency across the day, having also turned in a single of 5.52 and an earlier average of 7.38. His podium-topping performance cemented his position at the forefront of the regional speedcubing scene, turning back a formidable challenge in a hard-fought final.

Chasing Dunagan closely in the main event was Korea's Kyeongmin Choi, who locked down second place with an average of 7.12 seconds in the final round. Choi delivered remarkable work throughout the 3x3 results, highlighted by a sharp 6.46 single and a 6.87 average during the preliminary stages. Ellery Dillon secured third place on the podium with a final average of 8.23 seconds, having registered a blazing 6.92 single and a 7.53 average earlier in the day. The contest saw strong marks throughout the bracket, including sub-nine-second averages from Ethan Yeh, Eric Yang, and Jack Flynn Stewart.

Beyond the classic Rubik's Cube, Owen Yepeng Sun authored a brilliant double-gold performance across two very different disciplines. In Clock, Sun outpaced 54 competitors over two rounds, winning the event with an average of 5.73 seconds and delivering the best single at 4.86. Drake Denton Richard took second with a 6.08 average, while Vinícius Shaw collected third in 6.28. Sun carried that exact sharpness into Pyraminx, leading a 78-person field with a winning average of 2.62 seconds and a tournament-best single of 1.84. Dunagan collected silver in 2.95, while Franklin Pham earned bronze with an average of 3.12.

The 12-sided Megaminx brought out 37 contenders over two rounds and belonged entirely to Kyeongmin Choi. Choi dominated the event with a winning average of 32.07 seconds and a best single solve of 29.28, finishing well clear of the field. Dunagan added another podium finish to his tally by taking second place with an average of 38.05 seconds, while Jack Flynn Stewart claimed third in 45.49. Stewart then secured a victory of his own in Skewb, pacing 70 entrants across two rounds with an average of 3.25 seconds, narrowly besting Dunagan who posted 3.79 and Joel Kim who finished in 4.77.

While the top steps of the podium drew the spotlight at Poway Cubing Winter 2024, the heart of the cubing competition lived in the massive personal milestones achieved across the venue. Abby Newlander produced one of the most stunning leaps of the day, cutting her Clock personal best down by 71.3 percent to 6.71 seconds while also dropping her Skewb mark to 11.62 seconds, an improvement of 34.9 percent. Lorenzo Borgia took on five events and sliced 56.3 percent off his previous Clock best with an 11.61, alongside an 18.5 percent drop in Megaminx to 1:10.52 and a twelfth-place finish. Carter Lau lowered his Pyraminx best by 51.2 percent to 4.35 seconds, logged a Skewb best of 4.78, and made his first ever Clock attempt in 10.30 seconds.

Expanding into uncharted territory was a common theme as competitors broadened their event repertoires early in the season. Adrian Ramirez entered his first ever speed cubing tournament and tackled four disciplines, logging a first 3x3x3 Cube solve of 17.66 seconds alongside debuts of 7.32 in Skewb and 28.83 in Clock. Sunkyu Lee took on all five events, posting first-ever official marks of 2:05.67 in Megaminx, 10.08 in Skewb, and 23.10 in Clock. Pax Willoughby tackled five disciplines, recording a 5.71 in Pyraminx, 16.92 in Clock, and 2:46.91 in Megaminx. Brendan Barraclough debuted in Skewb with an 8.51 and Pyraminx with a 10.44, while Weston Gardner added Clock in 16.42 and Pyraminx in 11.49.

By the conclusion of Poway Cubing Winter 2024, the medal distribution reflected strong international variety, with United States competitors earning ten podium places, China taking two, Korea claiming two, and Brazil capturing one. Across 11 completed rounds, the tournament provided a clear look at where solver skill and preparation stand at the start of 2024. With personal records shattered and champions crowned across five events, the winter meet set a demanding standard for the remainder of the competitive year.