Stevenage August 2024

Nicholas Archer delivered a commanding performance at The Forum by capturing the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a 7.23 second average and a best single solve of 7.08 seconds. Surviving four grueling rounds among 124 entrants, Archer proved unmatched over the weekend of August 10 to August 11. The gathering marked another high-stakes chapter for speedcubing in the region, bringing together 136 competitors across 18 rounds and six different events. Making the final round in any category required exceptional speed and steady nerves amidst an extraordinarily dense roster of talent.

The 2024 tournament demonstrated the intense difficulty of advancing through deep brackets in modern speed cubing. In the standard Rubik's Cube main event, the podium was decided by mere fractions of a second behind Archer. Felix Hincks took second place with an 8.12 average, while Ryan Chan of Hong Kong rounded out the top three with an 8.32 mark. Navigating four rounds of competition demanded remarkable consistency, as the margins separating qualifiers from early exits grew slimmer at each elimination stage.

Archer continued his exceptional run in 3x3x3 One-Handed, securing his second victory of the weekend with a winning average of 9.29 seconds and a tournament-best single of 8.48 seconds. The event attracted 81 competitors across three rounds, underscoring the high standard of technical execution required to reach the final. Fabio Schwandt secured the runner-up spot with a 13.41 average, closely followed by Max Kwok U Sam of Macau, who took third place on the podium with an average of 13.53 seconds.

The 2x2x2 Cube contest brought a massive turnout of 104 entrants and produced some of the tightest margins of the entire WCA competition. Alan Tan took the title with a 1.80 average and an event-best single of 0.80 seconds, narrowly edging Daniel Robinson who finished second at 1.83. Cham J. Chambers completed the podium in third with a 2.14 average. Robinson also achieved a 1.28 single and 1.91 average during the rounds, while Max Kwok U Sam established a new national record average for Macau with a 2.40 result.

Beyond the sprint formats, the big cubes delivered dramatic results across multiple stages. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Aarav Gandhi of India emerged victorious with an average of 53.07 seconds and a best single of 49.52 seconds across three rounds of 62 solvers. Max Kwok U Sam secured second place at 56.15, just ahead of Fabio Schwandt who finished third at 56.59. Cham J. Chambers captured the 6x6x6 Cube title with a decisive 1:34.23 winning average, ahead of Jason Harley in second at 1:52.65 and Schwandt in third at 1:52.84.

While the podium battles captured the spotlight, the true depth of the tournament unfolded across the qualification rounds where competitors achieved massive personal milestones. Ethan Lam entered six events and notched a standout 23rd place finish in Pyraminx, cutting his personal best by 53.6 percent down to 3.27 seconds, alongside a 19.5 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube to 8.76 seconds. Connor Gunthorpe also took on six events and achieved 24th in Pyraminx with a 3.95 second best, which was 38.2 percent faster than his prior mark, while also logging his first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube with a time of 4:53.15. Jacob Goodworth tackled six events as well, posting his first ever attempts in both 6x6x6 Cube at 5:04.67 and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:25.90. Yosei Kim dropped his Pyraminx personal record by 43 percent to 5.20 seconds, while Zachary Bryant shaved 38.9 percent off his previous best in 3x3x3 One-Handed to hit 34.64 seconds.

Other competitors similarly pushed their limits across multi-event schedules throughout the weekend. Benjamin Oates entered six events and registered a 37.8 percent reduction in Pyraminx to record a personal best of 5.63 seconds, alongside a 2:46.80 in 6x6x6 Cube. Luke Medhurst took on six disciplines, recording his first official attempt in the 6x6x6 Cube at 5:09.91 and dropping his 5x5x5 Cube personal record by 23.7 percent to 2:16.38. Faareh Ahmad made his first official appearances in two separate events, logging a 4.67 in 2x2x2 Cube and a 12.79 in Pyraminx, while also cutting his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 19.5 percent down to 11.07 seconds.

The Pyraminx event featured 95 competitors and was won by Sweden's Bo Forsell, who registered a winning average of 2.41 seconds and a 1.97 single. Nathan Olano took the second podium position with a 2.88 average, while Jason Harley finished third with 3.16 seconds. The international podium distribution highlighted the broad reach of the event, with podium spots shared among competitors from the United Kingdom, Macau, India, Sweden, and Hong Kong.

From the final 3x3 results to the first attempts recorded in the endurance puzzles, Stevenage August 2024 served as a rigorous test for every competitor in attendance. Hosted in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, the event demonstrated how high the bar has risen across every bracket. With 18 full rounds completed across two intense days, the tournament proved that navigating modern fields requires precision and stamina from the opening solve to the final turn.