Spring into Summit 2024

A total of 131 competitors gathered at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School on May 4, 2024, to take part in a high-energy cubing competition. For those walking into their very first official arena, the experience of a live WCA competition offered an unforgettable introduction to speedcubing. Stepping up to the solving station, placing hands on the timer, and racing against the clock with spectators watching brought a completely different rhythm than practicing at home. Across five events and nine rounds, the single-day event delivered top-tier battles alongside countless milestone achievements.

Spring into Summit 2024 featured a packed schedule spanning classic twisty puzzles to specialised challenges. The venue in Summit, New Jersey, USA, buzzed from morning to evening as solvers tested their skills across multiple disciplines. The main attraction was the traditional 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, but participants also tackled the 4x4x4 Cube, the 5x5x5 Cube, Square-1, and 3x3x3 One-Handed. Every discipline brought its own technical demands, demanding rapid lookahead, precise fingertricks, and composure under the pressure of official judging.

The premier 3x3 results came down to a thrilling final round after three stages of intense solving. Jerry Yao captured the title with a stellar 5.85 winning average, also posting the best single of the event at 5.13. Carson Widjaja secured the runner-up spot with an average of 6.57, while Aaron Jake Wong rounded out the podium in third place with a 7.00 average. Earlier in the bracket, Yao had also recorded a 5.77 single and a 6.45 average, setting the pace for a remarkably fast final stage.

The 4x4x4 Cube contest saw Carson Widjaja take top honours with a winning average of 29.13 and a best single of 25.63 across two rounds. Widjaja edged out Shaun Mack, who earned second place with a 29.44 average, while Jerry Yao completed the podium in third at 29.54. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Jerry Yao collected another victory, delivering a 51.65 average and a 44.78 single in a direct final. Widjaja claimed second with 55.52, and Carter Williams earned third with a 56.97 average.

Beyond the top podium steps, Spring into Summit 2024 saw remarkable personal leaps from competitors across the board. Megan Kuo entered five events and delivered a massive breakthrough in Square-1, setting a personal best of 21.50, which was 67 percent faster than her prior mark of 1:05.10, alongside a 52.63 in 4x4x4 and 7.21 in 3x3x3. Alexander Lik Sum Lau also saw huge gains, dropping his Square-1 best by 57.4 percent to 21.09 while trimming his 4x4x4 mark to 44.00. Justin Rose took on five events, registering a first ever attempt at Square-1 with 1:02.76 and cutting his 4x4x4 best by 46.3 percent to 1:26.53. David Yoon improved his Square-1 best to 37.92, shaving 40.3 percent off his previous record.

The wave of progress continued across the venue as competitors embraced new events and shattered long-standing marks. Jack Berman lowered his Square-1 personal best to 24.36, a 40.4 percent reduction, and achieved a 49.08 in 4x4x4. Idan Nutkevitz took on five disciplines, lowering his 4x4x4 best by 38.7 percent to 39.52 and his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 25.7 percent to 22.02. Jason Xavier Davila logged his first ever attempts in both Square-1 at 1:15.39 and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:51.25, while dropping his one-handed mark by 33.6 percent to 33.91. Matthew Hettena also tackled his first Square-1 attempt at 41.89 and took 26.2 percent off his 4x4x4 best to reach 51.72.

Specialist events added further excitement to Spring into Summit 2024. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Shaun Mack claimed the title with an impressive winning average of 10.73 and a best single of 9.91. Anthony Jiang finished second with a 13.06 average, closely followed by Timothy Yang in third at 13.10. Over on the Square-1 tables, Samuel Fang navigated two rounds to seize the win with a 7.40 average and a 5.26 single. Zach Ridall placed second with 7.80, while Mack took third with 8.52 to claim another podium finish.

By the time the final awards were distributed, the gathering celebrated a full day of dedication and community spirit. From seasoned contenders claiming trophies to newer solvers recording their very first official marks, Spring into Summit 2024 showcased the energy that defines modern speed cubing. Every solve added to the collective story of a sport driven by mutual support, continuous self-improvement, and the simple joy of solving puzzles faster than ever before.