SPAMtown III MN 2024

Seventy-four competitors gathered in Austin, Minnesota, USA on November 16, 2024, setting the stage for a packed day of speedcubing across six distinct disciplines. The single-day WCA competition at the DoubleTree by Hilton Austin MN brought together talent from around the region, creating a vibrant atmosphere across 11 total rounds of play. Leading the charge on local soil was Carl Overbye, who gave Minnesota spectators plenty to celebrate by capturing two championship titles and putting together a remarkable multi-event showcase.

Carl Overbye secured victory in the centerpiece 3x3x3 Cube event, delivering steady execution across three tense rounds. His winning average of 8.07 seconds in the final separated him from a fast field, while his best single solve of 7.01 seconds highlighted his rhythm. Nathan Rahn finished in second place with an average of 8.48 seconds, narrowly edging Brody Rhoades, who took third place with an 8.50 average. The 3x3 results underlined the exceptional depth of talent present in the main Rubik's Cube bracket.

Overbye was not done with a single title, returning to the tables to capture top honors in the Pyraminx event among 55 competitors. Posting a winning average of 2.98 seconds and a best single solve of 2.06 seconds, Overbye outpaced runner-up Chris Van Der Brink, who logged a 3.13 average, and third-place finisher Anders Peterson with a 3.45 mark. Overbye also added a bronze medal in Megaminx with a 45.07 average, concluding an outstanding all-around performance at SPAMtown III MN 2024.

Big cubes belonged entirely to Ethan Cho, who swept the day's longest puzzles with commanding consistency. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Cho topped a field of 38 entrants by producing a winning average of 50.12 seconds and a best single of 48.35. Nathan Phillips placed second with a 51.53 average, while Kaius Young took third in 54.49. Cho replicated that dominance in the 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:28.41 and a top single of 1:22.75 to finish ahead of Phillips at 1:39.86 and Young at 1:56.83.

The 2x2x2 Cube tournament delivered high drama among 63 competitors over two rounds, culminating in a win for Joseph Ong. Ong recorded a winning average of 2.45 seconds and a rapid best single of 1.67 seconds to edge Nathan Rahn, who posted a 2.56 average, and Tyler Robinson, who followed closely in 2.68. Robinson quickly claimed gold of his own in the Megaminx, besting 37 entrants across two rounds with a 38.35 average and a 33.15 single, ahead of second-place James Ekins at 44.92.

Beyond the championship podiums, the cubing competition served as a proving ground for several ambitious competitors taking on major milestones. Robert L. Tupker delivered massive improvements, lowering his Pyraminx personal best to 3.99 seconds, an improvement of 61 percent over his previous 10.24 mark, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 5.97. Jonathan Nguyen improved his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 2.47 seconds, 20.8 percent faster than before, while making a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 1:19.32 and placing 12th in Megaminx. Mason Vrieze cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 50.2 percent down to 8.00 seconds and completed a first ever attempt at Megaminx in 4:51.02. George Meierstein dropped his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 28.04 seconds, an improvement of 30.7 percent.

Several other participants embraced heavy event schedules and first-time challenges at the tables. Joza Tlusty entered all six disciplines, achieving an 8th-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube and recording first ever attempts in 5x5x5 Cube with 1:53.57, Pyraminx with 8.45, and 6x6x6 Cube with 4:38.90. Toby Claude Miller completed a first speed cubing appearance across six events, posting a best finish of 25th in 6x6x6 Cube and a first 3x3x3 Cube attempt of 16.79 seconds. Hunter Woods debuted with a first Pyraminx mark of 5.51 seconds, while Keegan Joyce took 14th in the 3x3x3 Cube and notched a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 1:50.77.

With 18 podium spots earned entirely by United States contenders, the gathering highlighted the strength of regional solving. From premier 3x3 showdowns to personal milestones across varied formats, SPAMtown III MN 2024 proved to be an action-filled chapter for the local community as competitors look ahead to the next season of tournament action.