Reno Summer 2024

Thirty-five competitors gathered on June 2, 2024, at Earl Wooster High School for Reno Summer 2024, an action-packed one-day meet that packed 13 rounds across seven events into a single schedule. Speedcubing in the region brought together seasoned campaigners and emerging talents across the state line. From the opening turns to the late afternoon showdowns, the competition highlighted how established mastery and disciplined preparation dictate outcomes when the schedule is tight and the margins for error are slim.

Veteran competitor Paul Mahvi put on a commanding clinic in Reno, Nevada, USA, collecting victories and podium finishes across diverse disciplines. Mahvi led the 3x3x3 Cube field through three demanding rounds, securing top honors with a decisive 7.25 winning average and a best single solve of 6.68. Sebastian Stone captured the second spot on the podium with an 8.16 mark, while Jason Ostdiek claimed third place with an average of 8.26. The 3x3 results served as a prime display of precision under pressure.

Mahvi carried that sharp execution directly into the 4x4x4 Cube, where he captured his second victory of the day. Registering a 27.91 winning average and a single solve of 25.61, he finished clear of Michael Larsen, who took second place with an average of 31.29, and Jason Ostdiek, who took third with a 36.94 result. Mahvi proved relentless across the entire schedule, finishing the meet with five total podium placements across the seven disciplines contested in the hall.

Sebastian Stone established his own authority across the shorter formats, claiming two victories in rapid succession. In the Pyraminx event, Stone earned the title with a swift 3.75 winning average and a best single of 1.30, holding off Evan Millsap in second with 4.50 and Mahvi in third with 5.16. Stone followed that triumph by winning the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.34 average and a 1.77 single, narrowly edging Kenji Gipson-Nahman, who averaged 2.44, and Michael Larsen, who took third with a 2.67 mark.

The remaining events showed the depth of tournament experience present in the room. Jason Ostdiek secured the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a strong 13.46 average, accompanied by the fastest single of the category at 9.91. Mahvi followed in second at 14.08, while Ruby Lu took third place averaging 14.73. In Skewb, Evan Millsap posted a 4.82 winning average to top Michael Larsen at 4.99 and Mahvi at 5.26. Larsen claimed an individual victory of his own in Square-1, winning the bracket with a 12.15 average ahead of Mahvi with 13.38 and Millsap with 17.60.

Beyond the championship trophies, this WCA competition revealed massive personal breakthroughs among competitors building their skillsets. Avery Lyons showed remarkable growth by clocking a personal best average of 1:24.85 in the 4x4x4 Cube, improving by 40 percent over an earlier 2:21.51 mark, while also taking on first ever attempts in both 2x2x2 Cube at 4.49 and Skewb at 20.06. Thomas Đặng Hoàng Thịnh logged an impressive 1:13.87 in the 4x4x4 Cube to cut 43.7 percent off his previous 2:11.29 standard, alongside a 17.2 percent improvement in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 38.04. Alberto Ochoa tackled six different events in his first speed cubing appearance, registering a 19.67 initial mark in the classic 3x3x3 Cube and a 12.33 in Skewb.

Other dedicated competitors made major strides across the board. Rylan Cierley entered six events, logging first official attempts of 6.59 in 2x2x2 Cube, 37.92 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 22.02 in Skewb. Oliver Siri cut 13.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube mark to reach 24.31 while taking on 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 43.08 first attempt. Romeo Hoffman dropped his 2x2x2 Cube time by 36.9 percent to 20.04, and Tobin Valencia improved his Rubik's Cube best by 32 percent to 24.56. Andromeda Olsen rounded out the milestone performances with a personal best of 44.83 in the 3x3x3 Cube, shaving 31.4 percent off her previous record.

With 21 total podium positions claimed by United States competitors, Reno Summer 2024 provided an exemplary showcase of consistency from top-tier solvers alongside tremendous personal milestones for developing talent. The balance of technical discipline, puzzle variety, and high-level execution made the gathering at Earl Wooster High School a memorable benchmark in the 2024 regional calendar, setting a high competitive standard as participants turn their attention to the upcoming season.