Saranac Lake 2024

A standout performance in the final round of the classic 3x3x3 Cube set the tone for the weekend when Levi Gibson locked in a winning average of 7.85 seconds, punctuated by a best single solve of 7.27 seconds. That clutch demonstration of speed cubing at the Best Western Saranac Lake anchored an intense single-day meeting where competitors repeatedly lowered their marks across multiple puzzle disciplines. The gathering brought dedicated solvers together in Saranac Lake, New York, USA on November 17, 2024, yielding sharp head-to-head racing and considerable individual growth across the entire roster.

Organized as an official WCA competition, Saranac Lake 2024 drew eight competitors who tackled seven distinct events spread over ten rounds of competition. While the overall competitor count was intentionally compact, the density of talent ensured that every round was fiercely contested. From big cubes requiring intricate spatial awareness to rapid-fire mechanical puzzles, the day provided an exhaustive test of dexterity and composure under official World Cube Association tournament conditions in upstate New York.

The battle for supremacy across the traditional Rubik's Cube featured a two-round schedule with tight margins at the top of the table. Gibson led the field in the final round to claim first place, holding off Evan Liu who secured second position with an 8.25 average and a best single of 7.16 seconds. Chris Chi rounded out the podium in third place with an average of 8.53. The earlier opening round had already revealed high-level 3x3 results, with William Lavoie posting a sharp single of 6.67 seconds to demonstrate the caliber of the assembled roster.

Evan Liu enjoyed a commanding day across the puzzle lineup, earning victories in four separate events. Liu took top honors in Clock with an average of 5.06 seconds and a best single of 4.40, finishing ahead of Gibson with 5.70 and Chi with 5.73. Liu also captured the Skewb title, logging a winning average of 3.60 seconds alongside a 2.34 single, while Jack Chicoine of Canada secured second place with 3.83 and Chi took third with 4.09. Liu continued his winning form on the larger puzzles, securing gold in both the 5x5x5 Cube and 6x6x6 Cube.

In the big cube events, Liu posted a 56.82 average with a single of 54.48 on the 5x5x5 Cube to edge out Chi, who finished second with a 57.39 average, while Gibson claimed third place in 1:16.61. The 6x6x6 Cube saw Liu win comfortably with an average of 1:39.71 and a single of 1:31.87, followed by Chi in second at 1:58.50 and Gibson taking third in 2:36.31. Across these grueling multi-layered challenges, the top contenders demonstrated formidable endurance and algorithm efficiency.

Chris Chi claimed two event titles of his own to cap a remarkably consistent weekend. Chi won the 4x4x4 Cube with a decisive average of 32.37 seconds and a fast single of 28.70, besting Liu who took second with 35.82 and Lavoie who finished third with 39.88. Chi then added the Square-1 victory to his tally, putting together a winning average of 9.75 seconds and a single of 9.02 to finish ahead of Gibson at 11.33 and Liu at 12.88. Chi earned a total of six top-three finishes across the program.

Beyond the podium battles, the tournament was defined by remarkable individual strides and personal breakthroughs. Kevin Veronneau entered all seven events, tackling his first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube with a result of 4:14.32 while cutting his Square-1 personal best to 38.31 seconds, which was 36.8 percent faster than his prior mark, alongside an 11.1 percent improvement on the 5x5x5 Cube at 2:05.47. Benjamin Downs competed across four events, finishing sixth in Skewb and taking his Clock personal best down to 6.66 seconds, a 23 percent improvement. Lyle Goldader entered five events, placing seventh in 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 58.25, five percent faster than before, while posting a 2:33.02 personal best in the 5x5x5 Cube.

The distribution of podium awards reflected strong regional representation, with solvers from the USA taking nineteen podium positions alongside two podium finishes for Canada through Lavoie and Chicoine. Every competitor found opportunities to push their limits across multiple rounds of play. As the 2024 speedcubing calendar moves forward, the decisive times and personal milestones set at this cubing competition stand as a testament to the continued progress of all participants involved.