Slow N Steady Spring 2024

A remarkable 59 out of 64 cubes solved in 59 minutes and 25 seconds by Rowe Hessler in the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event set the tone for an extraordinary weekend of speedcubing. Held at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union in College Park, Maryland, USA, across April 13 and April 14, 2024, Slow N Steady Spring 2024 gathered 165 competitors across 8 events and 13 rounds of intense puzzle solving. Host nation competitors established near-total dominance across the weekend, capturing 22 out of 24 possible podium places, leaving only two top-three spots to international challenger Thiago Han of Brazil.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event brought fierce competition across three rounds with 155 participants vying for top honours. Sanzhar Beisembayev claimed victory in the final with a winning average of 7.91 seconds, edging past Zayn Khanani, who finished in second place with an average of 7.95 seconds, while Raihan Sadr secured third with an 8.15 average. Beisembayev delivered the best single solve of the event at 7.04 seconds, locking in the headline 3x3 results at this prominent WCA competition.

Zayn Khanani enjoyed a standout weekend, capturing titles in two separate events. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Khanani took first place with a blazing 1.07 winning average and a best single of 0.68 seconds, while Hassan Khanani followed in second with 1.70 seconds and Brayden Adams finished third with 2.35 seconds. Zayn Khanani also topped the 92-competitor field in 3x3x3 One-Handed, posting a winning average of 12.34 seconds, ahead of Liam Chen with 15.21 seconds and Benson Kim with 15.73 seconds.

Big cube specialists found plenty of room to excel on the tournament floor. Sanzhar Beisembayev collected his second gold medal of the weekend in the 5x5x5 Cube, finishing with an average of 58.41 seconds and a top single of 53.40 seconds. Hassan Khanani took the second podium spot with 1:02.92, while Zayn Khanani added another award to his tally by taking third place with 1:05.89, completing a clean sweep of the podium for American competitors in the classic big Rubik's Cube category.

Beyond the top podium steps, the competition provided meaningful benchmarks and breakthrough moments for competitors across the roster. Kol Roberts took on 4 events at Slow N Steady Spring 2024, recording a personal best of 26.23 seconds in 3x3x3 One-Handed, which was 52.7 percent faster than their previous mark, while making a first attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded in 9:26.27. Soham Jinsi entered 4 events and placed 15th in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 17.51 seconds, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 2.78 seconds that improved their previous best by 51.1 percent, and made a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt in 1:49.24. Vihaan Venugopal tackled 4 events, taking a first attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 2:10.38 and slicing 46.9 percent off their previous best in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 25.89 seconds. Joshua Luke Harris completed a busy 4-event program, finishing 23rd in 2x2x2 Cube and recording first attempts in both 3x3x3 One-Handed at 38.29 seconds and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:43.16.

The depth of progress across the venue was evident across multiple categories. Russell Euliss IV entered 3 events, logging a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:35.60 and a 22.8 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Cube to 39.70 seconds. Silas Rhoads recorded a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:51.01 and reduced their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 37.9 percent down to 5.73 seconds. Jaejun Kim contested 3 events, making a first attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 3:21.83 while trimming their 2x2x2 Cube best by 36.8 percent to 5.32 seconds. Christopher Whitehead also tackled 3 events, posting a first attempt in 2x2x2 Cube of 6.37 seconds and a first attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 51.43 seconds.

Blindfolded memory solving showcased specialized skills across several complex formats. Liam Chen captured the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown with a best single solve of 18.94 seconds, outperforming Rowe Hessler at 20.98 seconds and Brazil representative Thiago Han at 23.60 seconds. In the 4x4x4 Blindfolded discipline, Kevin Liu achieved top honours with a winning average of 3:29.08 and a fastest solve of 2:57.83, joined on the podium by Liam Chen at 3:58.26 and Thiago Han at 4:16.66.

Long-form memory events concluded with commanding displays from experienced solvers. Rowe Hessler completed a golden double in blindfolded disciplines, claiming first place in 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a best single of 5:44.03, ahead of Kevin Liu at 7:41.42 and Daniel Goodman at 13:57.00. Hessler had earlier won 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with 59/64 points, with Goodman taking second at 13/16 and Liu placing third with 19/29 points, wrapping up a comprehensive showcase of speed cubing excellence.

The successful conclusion of Slow N Steady Spring 2024 celebrated two days of focused competition in College Park. With 22 podium finishes earned by United States solvers, the gathering highlighted both established medalists and advancing challengers across every bracket. As the 2024 season progresses, this cubing competition provided a strong showcase of technical execution and community participation.