Stevenage February 2024

A total of 194 competitors gathered at The Forum on February 10 to February 11 for Stevenage February 2024, setting the stage for two days of relentless speedcubing action. Across 10 official events and 16 separate rounds, the weekend in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom delivered top-tier head-to-head battles and remarkable versatility across both classic twists and specialised mechanisms. While the sheer depth of the field kept every final competitive, a handful of standout performers managed to stamp their authority over the entire schedule.

Ben Stokes emerged as the defining presence of the weekend, securing victories in two distinct disciplines while frequently challenging at the front. Stokes conquered the 2x2x2 Cube with a winning average of 1.88 seconds alongside a rapid 1.55 best single, edging out France's Anael Champion and Bulgaria's Anqi Yu. Stokes also demonstrated endurance on the largest puzzle of the schedule, taking first place in the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 2:55.65. His weekend haul also featured a second-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves and third place in the main event.

Fengyuan Kelvin Lou proved equally dominant in the specialist events, securing a commanding double victory. Lou claimed the top spot in Clock by recording a 4.26 winning average, finishing ahead of Monty Fox and George Railton. Lou then returned to the table in Square-1, taking another gold with an average of 9.07 seconds after posting a best single of 8.41. The double triumph highlighted a diverse weekend of speed cubing where mastery across wildly contrasting formats proved decisive.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube competition drew 182 entrants through three rigorous rounds of solving. Caleb Wolf Dunn claimed the title with an exceptional 7.85 winning average and a single solve of 7.36. Ryan Chan pushed the pace to take second place with an 8.00 average, while Ben Stokes rounded out the podium at 8.29. Fans following the 3x3 results witnessed Dunn back up his primary victory by also claiming second place in the Pyraminx final, where Oliver Hutchings took top honours with an average of 2.96 seconds.

Ryan Chan added a title of his own in the 4x4x4 Cube, leading the 122-competitor field with a winning average of 33.71 seconds and a 30.04 single, staying clear of Malaysia's Ainesh Sevellaraja and Murad Asgarov. Ariel Benchetrit dominated the Skewb final with a 2.50 average, while Adam Swaine secured the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves crown with an efficient 27-move solution. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Mengfei Shen solved without sight in 26.31 seconds to claim the victory among 47 specialists.

Beyond the podium finishes, Stevenage February 2024 served as a proving ground for remarkable personal development. Gilbert Birchall took on all 10 events on the schedule, making his first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 4:48.07, his first attempt at Fewest Moves with 44, and slicing his Square-1 personal best to 20.06, which was 72.5 percent faster than before. Yassir Mathea logged a 4x4x4 Cube debut in 52.16 and a Skewb debut in 4.38 while cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.23, an improvement of 62.7 percent. Eshan Ram Ananth shaved 52.8 percent off his Skewb mark to hit 5.04, reduced his 3x3x3 mark to 9.66, and finished 29th in 7x7x7 Cube with a 6:22.17 debut.

Danny Kwan Wai Chan also enjoyed major breakthroughs, logging a first Clock attempt of 13.01 while setting personal bests in Square-1 at 16.31 and Skewb at 4.46, representing cuts of 47.7 and 44.1 percent. Isaac Campbell entered seven events and finished 12th in Clock with a first attempt of 7.81, while bettering his Skewb mark by 38 percent to 7.82. Purusauth Sivarooban entered eight events, taking 18th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a debut of 7:17.90 alongside initial tries at Pyraminx and Square-1. Reuben Ingram tackled nine events, clocking initial marks of 4.47 in 2x2x2 Cube, 8.84 in Skewb, and 10.54 in Clock. Angelos Nevin-Psarras rounded out the standout efforts with debuts in Clock, Pyraminx, and Square-1, earning a ninth-place finish in Square-1 with 14.68.

The 2024 meet concluded as an emphatic demonstration of British speedcubing strength, with host-nation competitors earning 22 podium positions across the tournament. Every Rubik's Cube category pushed the limits of precision and mental stamina, reminding competitors and followers alike why this WCA competition remains a cornerstone of the regional circuit. As the final puzzles were locked away, Stevenage February 2024 left behind memorable moments of triumph and a refreshed slate of personal bests.