Sturgeon Bay Big Cubes 2024

Brian Johnson set the tone at Sturgeon Bay Big Cubes 2024 by capturing victory in the 3x3x3 Cube with a commanding 6.48 winning average and a best single of 5.65. The one-day competition, held on February 24, 2024, brought 73 competitors to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Across 12 rounds in seven events, seasoned contenders demonstrated exceptional control across puzzles ranging from the pocket cube all the way to massive multi-layered hardware.

The 3x3 results capped a full schedule of classic speedcubing events where veteran poise repeatedly rose to the top. Johnson secured the premier title in a field of 73 solvers across three rounds, holding off strong showings from Zeke Mackay, who took second with a 6.69 average, and Carter Kucala, who took third with a 7.85 average. The contest delivered sharp execution from the opening heats through the final round of the quintessential Rubik's Cube.

Beyond the main event, Johnson extended his dominance across multiple categories. In the 2x2x2 Cube, he delivered a rapid 1.70 winning average alongside a best single of 1.53 over three rounds, edging Kucala in second at 1.83 and Ethan Glynn in third at 2.39. Moving to the 4x4x4 Cube, Johnson led 43 competitors across two rounds with a 25.89 winning average and a 24.27 single, with Mackay claiming second place at 29.85 and Braden Richards finishing third at 36.01.

Johnson added a fourth gold in the 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:42.13 and a single of 1:37.24 across a single round of 24 competitors. Mackay secured runner-up honors with a 1:47.48 average, while Kucala rounded out the podium at 1:55.72. The combined performances from the top trio ensured that every podium position across all seven events went to representatives from the United States, collecting 21 podium placements in total.

Mackay found his own winning form in the mid-range and specialty puzzles. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Mackay posted a 55.51 winning average and a best single of 50.91 among 28 entrants, ahead of Johnson at 1:00.71 and Kucala at 1:05.44. Mackay also earned the Megaminx title, averaging 43.36 with a single of 38.21, edging Johnson who finished second in 43.97 and James Ekins who took third in 49.00. In the largest puzzle of the day, the 7x7x7 Cube, Kucala claimed top honors with a 3:03.24 average over Mackay at 3:04.47 and Johnson at 3:07.12.

Behind the battle for top honours, several competitors made substantial strides across their personal timelines. Ava Estes delivered massive progress, taking down her 2x2x2 personal best to 5.12, which was 59.4 percent faster than her prior mark of 12.62, while also improving her 4x4x4 time by 25.3 percent to 1:54.72 and her 5x5x5 time by 17.2 percent to 3:18.13. Elisha J. Thibaudeau dropped their 2x2x2 best to 6.29, an improvement of 59.2 percent over 15.40, alongside a 39.3 percent drop in 3x3x3 to 29.43. Rudiger Siebert shaved 46.1 percent from their 2x2x2 personal best down to 5.80 and took on their first ever attempt at Megaminx with 4:30.78. Hudson Scruggs cut 45.7 percent from their 2x2x2 best to 7.59 and logged a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 with 2:36.37.

Other solvers expanded their repertoires across new puzzles and heavy schedules. Stetson Johnson tackled seven events, highlighted by a 16th place finish in 7x7x7 Cube and first-time marks in 4x4x4 at 1:04.98, 6x6x6 at 3:33.87, and 7x7x7 at 5:36.26. Carter Cieslewicz took on seven events, recording a 31.6 percent improvement in 6x6x6 to 3:28.71 alongside first official attempts in 5x5x5 at 1:50.64 and 7x7x7 at 6:08.36. Dominic M. Delgadillo completed a seven-event program in their first WCA competition, recording a 25.61 first attempt in 3x3x3 and an 8:57.64 first attempt in 7x7x7. Louis Funk also debuted in official speed cubing, securing 15th in Megaminx with a 2:08.39 first attempt.

The gathering at Sturgeon Bay Big Cubes 2024 captured the broad spectrum of modern cubing competition, pairing top-flight showdowns among experienced rivals with memorable milestones throughout the field. From short sprints on the pocket cube to tests of stamina on the big cubes, the day in Sturgeon Bay delivered an extensive showcase of puzzle solving before the 2024 season moves onward to upcoming regional fixtures.