Prescott Cubing Winter 2024

The Eagle Gym at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott buzzed with continuous motion as tables filled with timers, mats, and rotating puzzles. On January 27, 2024, competitors gathered on the indoor courts in Prescott, Arizona, USA, facing a demanding single-day schedule. Across nine rounds of action, 91 competitors balanced speed and consistency under varied qualifying conditions. The structured format separated the field rapidly, demanding precision right out of the gate in single-round finals while testing stamina across multiple stages.

The 2024 gathering featured five distinct disciplines, each shaped by its round progression. In direct finals like the 4x4x4 Cube and Pyraminx, competitors had no room for tactical adjustments across multiple stages, making every solve immediately decisive. By contrast, the multi-round events required steady progression through opening cuts before any chance at the podium. This contrast in tournament structures dictated how solvers managed their pacing throughout the busy day of speedcubing action.

Jeremy Bulambot delivered an exceptional performance across several categories, mastering the different round formats. In the one-round 4x4x4 Cube event, Bulambot claimed victory against 59 competitors with a winning average of 32.14 and a best single of 28.34. Jacob De La Garza secured second place with an average of 34.67, while Xavier W. NcCorchuk took third at 35.68. Bulambot carried that momentum into the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, navigating two full rounds to win with an 11.99 average and an 11.03 single, holding off Nathan Miles at 12.11 and De La Garza at 14.63.

The classic Rubik's Cube featured the most extensive progression of the competition, challenging 89 competitors across three separate rounds. In the final round of the traditional 3x3 results, Jacob De La Garza emerged on top with a winning average of 6.73 and a best single of 5.99. Bulambot kept the contest tight, earning the runner-up position with an average of 6.89. Salma Sydykov Méndez from Mexico secured the third step on the podium with an average of 8.61, delivering the lone international podium finish in a field where the USA captured 14 of the 15 podium places.

Bulambot added a third title in the 2x2x2 Cube, advancing through two rounds to take first place with a 2.06 average and a 1.60 single. Samuel Low took second place with a 2.93 average, while Ivan Vanek earned third place at 3.11. The single-round Pyraminx final proved just as intense, with Low finishing on top of the 75-competitor field courtesy of a 3.01 winning average and a 2.52 single. Preston Schwartz followed closely in second with an average of 3.10, and Nathan Agan rounded out the top three at 3.86.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Prescott Cubing Winter 2024 served as a breakthrough stage for many participants logging career-best efforts. Isaac Enright cut his Pyraminx personal best down to 3.47 from 9.22, an improvement of 62.4 percent, while also dropping his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 8 percent to 1:07.34 and trying 3x3x3 One-Handed for the first time with a 32.39. James Link made a massive leap on the 2x2x2 Cube, recording a personal best of 2.46 to best his previous 5.35 mark by 54 percent, alongside his first Pyraminx attempt of 3.30. Levi Brownlie made striking gains as well, trimming his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 51.6 percent to 6.47 and his 3x3x3 Cube best by 39 percent to 24.08. Jaycob Mills cut his 2x2x2 Cube record by 36.7 percent to 3.79 and took 27th place in the 4x4x4 Cube.

First-time event entries and WCA competition debuts also highlighted the depth of the roster. Myles Smith competed in his first ever sanctioned speed cubing meet, taking on four events and achieving a 30th-place finish in Pyraminx along with a 1:02.20 in the 4x4x4 Cube. William Bustamante also made his debut at this cubing competition, tackling five separate events and securing 32nd place in Pyraminx with a 7.47 attempt. Joseph Dylan Seymour marked his first official tournament by entering five events, recording a 12.01 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Kingston Lee demonstrated broad versatility across five events, logging a first Pyraminx attempt of 6.33, a first one-handed solve of 30.42, and earning a 7th-place finish in the 2x2x2 Cube.

As the day wrapped up inside Eagle Gym, the variety of formats showcased the complete spectrum of puzzle solving. From quick, unforgiving direct finals to multi-stage brackets that tested consistency, Prescott Cubing Winter 2024 provided a thorough test of skill in Arizona. Competitors packed away their cubes and timers with new personal records in hand, setting an encouraging benchmark for the upcoming season.