Stevenage Newcomers Saturday 2024

Inside The Forum on March 9, 2024, the atmosphere buzzed with intense concentration and the familiar clack of turning plastic. Solvers, judges, and spectators gathered in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom for a full day of action across four distinct disciplines. For the 143 competitors assembled in the hall, the stage was set for a packed schedule spanning five rounds of high-pressure turning.

The spotlight quickly turned toward domestic talent, with British competitor Nicholas Archer delivering an exceptional series of performances across the day. On home turf, Archer asserted control over multiple events, capturing three gold medals and one silver medal. His dominance throughout the cubing competition established him as the central figure of the meet, consistently delivering sub-ten-second averages and pushing the pace across varied puzzle sizes.

Archer started his winning run in the 3x3x3 Cube, navigating two rounds against a field of 141 competitors. In the final, he posted a winning average of 7.05 seconds, backed by a best single solve of 6.68 seconds to secure top spot in the 3x3 results. Jensen Belen-Brown of Canada claimed second place with an average of 8.55 seconds, while Keaton Ellis of the United States matched the 8.55 mark to round out the podium in third.

The 2x2x2 Cube saw 110 competitors tackle a single fast-paced round, where Nicholas Archer again topped the standings with a winning average of 1.99 seconds and a best single of 1.56 seconds. British competitor Noah Calderon-Kamata took the runner-up spot with a 2.26 average after throwing down a 1.40 single solve. Fellow Brit Robert Yau finished third with an average of 2.82 seconds to complete an all-British podium.

In the one-handed event, Nicholas Archer completed his trio of titles in the 3x3x3 One-Handed final. Facing 74 competitors, Archer secured first place with an average of 9.31 seconds and a best single solve of 8.56 seconds. Keaton Ellis of the United States took second place with a 12.52 average, while British competitor Alan Tan secured third with a mark of 14.95 seconds.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, numerous competitors delivered massive breakthroughs across their respective events. Aubrey Nyoni achieved a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 13.48 seconds, an improvement of 49.3 percent over a previous best of 26.59 seconds, while also logging a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 31.83 seconds. Benjamin Oates dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 30.21 seconds, slicing 48.5 percent off his prior benchmark of 58.71 seconds. Ariel Monchar improved their classic Rubik's Cube time to 22.46 seconds, cutting 43.3 percent off a previous 39.64 mark. Reuben Lee took on three events, recording a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.91 seconds that was 43.3 percent faster than before.

Fresh milestones continued through the ranks as athletes expanded their repertoires at this WCA competition. Sebastian Milner improved their 2x2x2 Cube mark to 3.63 seconds, a 42.5 percent jump from 6.31, and logged a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:07.56. Samuel Andrade contested four events, notching a first ever 2x2x2 Cube attempt of 2.21 seconds and a 3x3x3 One-Handed mark of 45.18 seconds. Making their speedcubing debuts, Diego Garcia entered four events with a 13.79 single on 3x3x3 Cube, while Vasav Tiwari also took on four events, opening their record with a 52.94 single in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The 4x4x4 Cube contest brought the four-event roster to a close as 80 competitors battled through a single round. Robert Yau took the gold medal for the United Kingdom, posting a winning average of 30.42 seconds alongside a single of 26.94 seconds. Nicholas Archer followed in second with an average of 32.46 seconds, while Keaton Ellis collected another medal for the United States, placing third with a 33.11 average.

Across the entire program at Stevenage Newcomers Saturday 2024, British competitors secured eight total podium spots, alongside three for the United States and one for Canada. With competitive action spanning four events, the speed cubing gathering in Hertfordshire showcased elite speed alongside significant individual progress before the tournament concluded.