South Auckland Side Events 2024

Inside Drury Hall, the sound of turning mechanisms filled the air as tables were lined with timers, mats, and displays for a full schedule of specialty puzzles. South Auckland Side Events 2024 brought together 50 competitors in Auckland, New Zealand on August 31, 2024. Across seven official disciplines and 15 rounds of competition, local contenders established an overwhelming presence, claiming 16 of the 21 podium positions available on the day. From classic speedcubing challenges to geometric twisty puzzles, the one-day gathering highlighted the depth of the host nation alongside international standouts.

The 3x3x3 Cube event drew a large field of 48 competitors over three fast rounds of play. United States representative Andrew Feng secured the title with a winning average of 6.20 seconds, narrowly edging out local standout Chris Mills, who finished in second place with an average of 6.23 seconds. Alexander Vujcich earned the bronze spot on the podium for New Zealand with a 7.83 average. Feng also turned in the best single of the entire event with an effort of 5.58 seconds, capping off an intense round of 3x3 results at the center of the arena.

In the 2x2x2 Cube, 42 competitors took part across two rounds where quick reactions and short move counts ruled the table. Yuki Gao of China claimed the championship with an average of 1.91 seconds, supported by a rapid 1.22 single solve. Carol Chai pushed Gao to the wire, earning second place for the home country with an average of 1.97, while Elyas Eyou completed the top three with an average of 2.00 seconds. A wave of quick times swept the preliminary heats, with Chai registering a 1.39 single and 1.74 average, and Gao logging a 1.08 single and 1.75 average.

The Pyraminx saw Elyas Eyou take the gold for New Zealand, posting a 2.26 winning average and a 1.99 single across three rounds with 34 competitors. Camerone Chin of Malaysia took second place with a 3.23 average, followed by Levi Eyou in third at 3.38. Chin rebounded with exceptional performances in the other rotational disciplines, securing a double victory by winning both Square-1 and the 7x7x7 Cube. Chin registered a winning average of 7.51 seconds in Square-1 ahead of Ashley Foster and Elyas Eyou, and delivered a 3:07.31 average to dominate the 7x7x7 Cube ahead of Kalvin Lum and Liam Wadek.

Beyond the traditional Rubik's Cube variants, the side event schedule brought strong clashes in Skewb and Megaminx. Chris Mills took top honours in Skewb with an average of 3.86 seconds, finishing ahead of Carol Chai and Elyas Eyou in another strong showing for the home country. In Megaminx, Alexander Vujcich dominated the two-round contest among 24 competitors, winning with a 29.47 average and recording the best single at 27.67 seconds. Brandon Harris and Mills followed Vujcich to make Megaminx an all-New Zealand podium at South Auckland Side Events 2024.

Away from the final rounds, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their individual disciplines. Dylan James van Niekerk delivered massive personal bests, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best down to 25.40 seconds to make it 52.9% faster, improving his Pyraminx mark to 9.39 seconds for a 43.4% drop, and lowering his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 7.41 seconds. James Hawksworth cut his Square-1 personal best to 31.48 seconds, which was 49.5% faster than his previous best, while also shaving his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 1.86 seconds. Kairos Tingson logged a personal best of 4.17 in the 2x2x2 Cube, a 41.1% improvement, alongside a first Pyraminx solve of 8.35 seconds and a 26.18 3x3x3 Cube best.

Other competitors took on brand new challenges at South Auckland Side Events 2024. Ethan Ruoqing Chen entered five events and recorded his first official attempts at Skewb with a 10.06 and Megaminx with a 2:42.91, alongside a 21.27 personal best on the 3x3x3 Cube. Johnson Kan improved his Square-1 best to 15.25 seconds for a 32.6% drop, while Xavier Walsh cut his 3x3x3 Cube best to 17.22 seconds, a 25.6% improvement. Abigail Pillay registered a first ever Pyraminx solve of 10.17 seconds, and Kaden Ho tackled four events while setting a first official Skewb time of 9.26 seconds.

The energy inside Drury Hall confirmed the growing popularity of speed cubing fixtures in the region. Whether competitors arrived for their very first WCA competition or sought to refine their averages in specialized events, the tournament offered a comprehensive showcase of precision. South Auckland Side Events 2024 concluded having delivered top-tier competition, widespread personal breakthroughs, and an unforgettable celebration of puzzle solving in Auckland.