Spokane Winter Big Cubes 2024

Inside the Spokane Library Indian Trail Branch, Luke Tycksen set the tone for the entire gathering by delivering a dominant 1:21.02 single and a 1:28.62 mean to capture first place in the 6x6x6 Cube. The quiet branch library in Spokane, Washington, USA provided an intimate setting for a focused day of big-cube solving on March 9, 2024. Competitors gathered among the shelves to test their efficiency on the largest puzzles sanctioned by the World Cube Association, turning the community hall into a dedicated arena for elite speedcubing.

The single-day schedule of Spokane Winter Big Cubes 2024 brought together six competitors across two rounds and two challenging events. While casual fans often look for traditional Rubik's Cube matchups and standard 3x3 results, this specialized cubing competition bypassed the smaller puzzles entirely to highlight endurance and precision. The focused atmosphere allowed every solve to receive full attention from the small field assembled in the Pacific Northwest during the 2024 season.

The 6x6x6 Cube final established the hierarchy early in the session as Luke Tycksen secured a clear victory with his sub-1:30 average. Behind him, Ethan George Hayes claimed the second spot on the podium by posting an average of 2:15.25 alongside a single of 2:10.47. Samuel Williams took third place with a 2:23.52 average, backed by a personal best single of 2:09.70 in the round, completing an all-American podium.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, the tournament produced significant breakthroughs for several seasoned participants. Coleman Vaughn made major strides by cutting down his personal records, dropping his 6x6x6 Cube best to 3:36.20 for a 13.4 percent improvement from 4:09.58, and reducing his 7x7x7 Cube mark to 5:57.35, which was 10.3 percent faster than his previous 6:38.51, earning a 4th-place finish. Chris Tabar entered both events at his 51st career tournament, locking in a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 4:12.65 and taking 5th in the 7x7x7 Cube. Lee Odegard also tackled both disciplines on the schedule, earning a 6th-place finish in the 6x6x6 Cube.

The afternoon session moved to the 7x7x7 Cube, where turning speed and hardware management were pushed to the limit over long solves. Luke Tycksen once again led the proceedings, completing a clean sweep of the weekend with a winning average of 2:36.10 and a round-best single of 2:26.43. His consistent executions across both disciplines cemented his status as the standout performer of the contest.

Ethan George Hayes delivered another silver-medal display in the 7x7x7 Cube, recording a single of 3:34.51 on his way to an average of 3:37.79. Samuel Williams mirrored his earlier finish to secure another bronze medal, turning in a fast single of 3:32.59 and concluding his round with an average of 3:46.30 to solidify the podium order.

Handling the high piece counts of massive twisty puzzles requires intense concentration and stamina, making this WCA competition a unique test of patience. The six competitors managed the logistical complexities of both big-cube brackets without delay, navigating the layers cleanly through each round of speed cubing at the library tables.

By the time the final times were verified, United States competitors had swept all six podium positions available at Spokane Winter Big Cubes 2024. The intimate gathering at the Indian Trail Branch demonstrated how specialized events can produce standout personal milestones, concluding a productive day of high-level solving in eastern Washington.