Rocklin Winter 2024

The competition hall at Whitney High School was packed with focused energy on December 15, 2024, as competitors and spectators gathered for a full slate of puzzle action. Timer mats clicked continuously across the tables, with participants warming up their fingers and inspecting scramble sequences across six distinct disciplines. The single-day schedule brought together 88 speedcubing enthusiasts to Rocklin, California, USA, all eager to post fast marks before the year came to a close. With twelve total rounds on the program, the venue maintained an intense pace from the opening inspections through to the late afternoon finals.

The marquee Rubik's Cube division drew 85 entrants through three full stages of play, serving as the weekend centerpiece. Zerui Cheng proved to be the standout performer in the 3x3 results, capturing victory with a blistering 6.99 winning average and a best single of 6.85. Sebastian Stone took second place on the podium with a 7.74 average, while Paul Mahvi locked in third with a 7.88 mark. Mahvi had set a single of 6.94 and an average of 7.33 in earlier rounds. The event demonstrated the rapid execution demanded in modern speed cubing, keeping spectators glued to the final stage.

Beyond the main event, the Pyraminx competition provided additional high-velocity action across its two rounds of solving. China's Matt Mao topped a field of 60 competitors, securing the title with a tournament-best 4.21 average and an individual solve of 2.90. Sebastian Stone earned his second silver of the meet with a 4.52 average, edging out Isaac Modrow, who completed the podium in third place with a 4.71 average. The rapid four-sided puzzle required sharp mechanical execution, delivering some of the tightest margins of the entire day.

The one-handed discipline delivered its own technical masterclass, featuring 53 entrants tackling the classic puzzle using only a single hand across three rounds. Jason Ostdiek claimed the gold medal with an impressive 12.17 average and a 10.83 best single. Yuki Nomura of Japan secured the second step on the podium with a 12.69 average, followed closely by Michael Larsen, who finished third with a 14.89 average. The event remains one of the premier tests of finger dexterity and spatial planning on the competitive circuit.

Away from the top of the podium, Rocklin Winter 2024 featured notable breakthroughs from competitors making significant strides in their official marks. Shmuly Grossbaum entered five disciplines, securing a personal best of 5.64 in Pyraminx that was 60.2 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside an 8.89 in their first ever Clock attempt. David Muradyan registered a 15.98 3x3x3 Cube personal best, improving by 22.3 percent, while completing maiden attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 49.24 and Pyraminx at 14.53. Sean Rodda slashed their 5x5x5 Cube mark by 37.5 percent to 1:45.70, cut Megaminx by 32.9 percent to 2:01.68, and made their first One-Handed attempt at 37.06. Elvis Clark also made huge gains, lowering their One-Handed personal best by 42.5 percent to 26.58 and Megaminx by 17.9 percent to 1:50.81.

Several other competitors etched memorable milestones at this WCA competition across multiple formats. Kfir Kliakhandler logged a first Pyraminx attempt of 9.96 while cutting their Megaminx best by 29.9 percent to 3:16.37. Tyler Pollet advanced their Clock personal best by 29.3 percent to 9.14 and posted a first One-Handed effort of 38.75. Avighna Bhattacharyya delivered a massive 50.4 percent cut to their Pyraminx record with a 5.41 solve. First-time competitor Samuel Joseph Lahn debuted across three events, logging a 32.65 in 3x3x3 Cube, an 11.36 in Pyraminx, and a 59.72 in One-Handed, highlighting the deep engagement throughout the roster.

The larger puzzles and specialty events expanded the technical scope of Rocklin Winter 2024. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Paul Mahvi captured the win with a 53.07 average and a 48.96 single, leading Yuki Nomura who took second with 55.88 and Michael Larsen in third with 59.41. The Megaminx event saw Nico Harper take first place with a 34.89 average and an event-best 28.65 single, finishing ahead of Alessandro Diomampo with 38.38 and Varenya Jyotiraditya with 44.61. In the Clock event, Alessandro Diomampo secured the top spot with a 3.20 average, holding off Jaidon Poraminthara Lin at 3.38 and Taj Bressert at 4.67.

As the final timers were packed away, Rocklin Winter 2024 concluded a bustling chapter of California cubing for 2024. United States competitors secured 15 podium placements, alongside two for Japan and one for China. From first-time entrants completing their opening stages to seasoned finalists setting sub-seven averages, the cubing competition showcased high technical skill across all six events. Competitors now look forward to carrying their personal records and competitive experience into the upcoming season.