Spark Melbourne Spring Saturday 2024

Ninety-three competitors gathered with titles on the line as Spark Melbourne Spring Saturday 2024 brought elite speedcubing action to Cru+ Coffee Roastery on October 5, 2024. Across eight intense rounds in three classic events, solvers from multiple countries battled for podium positions in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. With top honours at stake in a championship format, every solve counted toward securing silverware on a demanding single-day schedule.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew the full contingent of 93 competitors through three competitive stages to decide the ultimate champion. Phoenix Patterson delivered a commanding series of solves, claiming the title with a winning average of 6.33 seconds and posting a best single solve of 5.48 seconds. Firstian Fushada of Indonesia secured the runner-up position with an average of 7.56 seconds, while Nam Nguyen took third place on the podium with a mark of 7.85 seconds in the 3x3 results.

Patterson continued his dominant form in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, securing a second gold medal at Spark Melbourne Spring Saturday 2024. Navigating through two rounds among 65 participants, Patterson recorded an unbeatable winning average of 13.63 seconds alongside a best single of 11.91 seconds. Zhenwei Su of China took the second step on the podium with an average of 14.51 seconds, narrowly edging out Firstian Fushada who claimed bronze in 14.53 seconds.

In the 2x2x2 Cube event, explosive turning speed took center stage as 88 competitors contested three rapid rounds. Roman Rudakov produced a stellar performance to seize victory with a winning average of 1.30 seconds and a sharp 1.12 best single. Patterson added to his medal collection by securing second place with an average of 1.76 seconds, while Jacob Joshi locked down the third spot on the podium with an average of 1.94 seconds.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, the floor of this WCA competition saw tremendous individual breakthroughs across the order. Elliott Woollard entered three events and made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 1:26.16, while also taking his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 8.45 seconds, which was 57.7 percent faster than his previous mark. Joseph Kano took on three events and slashed his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best to 41.10 seconds, improving by 53.2 percent. An Quoc Tran tackled three events, posting a first ever attempt of 1:04.10 in one-handed while dropping his Rubik's Cube best by 32.7 percent to 14.81 seconds.

The progress continued with James Hardiman, who registered his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 18.84 seconds and cut his main puzzle mark by 33.4 percent to 1:04.65 across two events. Nate Leitch entered three events and delivered a 37.7 percent drop to reach a 30.26-second personal best in one-handed, alongside a 9.56-second 3x3x3 best. Chiyun Lin trimmed his one-handed best by 39.8 percent to 23.62 seconds, while Aito Stukas recorded a first ever attempt of 57.82 seconds in one-handed and dropped his 3x3x3 best by 30.7 percent to 17.89 seconds. Kaisuke Satoyoshi recorded a 14th-place finish in one-handed with a first attempt of 13.32 seconds.

International presence enriched the competition tables, with competitors representing Australia, Indonesia, and China earning places on the podium across the three featured disciplines. Host nation Australia gathered six top-three positions, Indonesia took two podium spots, and China secured one, demonstrating the wide geographic reach of the speed cubing circuit in 2024.

The high level of execution across eight rounds affirmed the enduring appeal of the classic three-event format. As the final timers stopped at Spark Melbourne Spring Saturday 2024, the tournament wrapped up a memorable day of competition at Cru+ Coffee Roastery. Solvers now carry their personal milestones and rankings forward into the remainder of the 2024 season.