Tassie Summer 2024

Inside the historic Sorell Memorial Hall, Poland standout Tymon Kolasiński delivered a masterclass at Tassie Summer 2024, capturing the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a scorching 5.53 winning average. Across 19 rounds of intense action in Sorell, Tasmania, Australia, the venue buzzed with focused energy as 64 competitors gathered on January 13 and 14 for the weekend showdown. Kolasiński set the standard early in the main event, posting a best single of 5.32 on his way to topping a 62-person field.

The 2024 cubing competition brought together a world-class lineup across 11 different events, transforming the Tasmanian hall into a high-stakes arena. In the classic Rubik's Cube final, Kolasiński finished ahead of New Zealand competitor Chris Mills, who took second place with a 6.59 average, while Australian veteran Feliks Zemdegs locked in third with a 6.78 mark. Those 3x3 results capped an impressive two days of speedcubing that showcased both international depth and local excellence under the hall lights.

Kolasiński was not finished with a single victory, doubling his tally with a commanding performance in the 4x4x4 Cube. He secured the title with a 22.75 average and a 21.09 single across a single round of 43 competitors. Zemdegs followed closely in second place on a 25.22 average, while Jode Brewster took third on 29.69. The technical precision required on the larger puzzle kept the tables packed as the field pushed for every fraction of a second.

Short-format puzzles provided their own drama throughout the weekend. Cameron Stollery claimed victory in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.03 winning average, narrowly holding off Brewster at 2.18 and Mills at 2.20 in a rapid three-round contest featuring 56 starters. In the Skewb event, Jonathan Charlesworth took the top step of the podium with a 3.13 average, finishing ahead of Alex Butera on 3.73 and Mills on 3.98 over three rounds of play.

China competitor Junqi Feng put together a brilliant multi-discipline run at Tassie Summer 2024, taking top honours in both Pyraminx and Clock. Feng earned the Pyraminx title with a 2.24 average across 50 competitors, edging out the field with a best single of 1.53. In Clock, Feng topped 36 entrants with a 5.88 average, holding off Butera who recorded 6.17 and Brewster who finished third on 7.62.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors logged milestone breakthroughs across the schedule. Raiden Williams slashed personal bests across the board, dropping a 4.32 in 2x2x2 Cube to go 52.8 percent faster than before, alongside a 9.79 in Pyraminx for a 46.9 percent improvement. Mitchell J. Hills dropped his Skewb best to 21.28, an improvement of 39.1 percent, and advanced to a 10th-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 18.15 personal best. Meg McGrath took on seven events, cutting her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 43.6 percent to 4.56 while making a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:12.51. Robert James Davis trimmed 51.5 percent off his Pyraminx mark down to 4.88 and made a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:16.52.

First-time events and competition debuts also defined the weekend inside Sorell Memorial Hall. Sebastian Bailey tackled five events in a first WCA competition appearance, highlighted by a 7.13 Pyraminx effort and a 7.33 Skewb solve. Lachlan Tucker also made a debut across five disciplines, clocking 31.60 on the 3x3x3 Cube and 9.43 on the 2x2x2 Cube. Brad Deegan took on eight events and logged a first ever attempt at Square-1 in 50.72, while George Gross posted a 24.80 personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed to run 33.1 percent faster than his previous mark.

Specialist categories rounded out the program with notable precision. Chris Mills earned the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown with a 10.76 average, clear of Zemdegs on 11.75 and Brewster on 12.03. Zemdegs found his winning mark in Megaminx, taking first place with a 36.74 average just ahead of Jamie Otsu on 36.86. Brewster secured gold in Square-1 on a 9.46 average, while Michael Tripodi took the 3x3x3 Blindfolded win with a 21.80 single, and Lennon Hughes mastered 3x3x3 Multi-Blind by solving 14 of 14 cubes in 56:00.

With 24 podium finishes across the weekend, Australian competitors led the medal count, supported by strong showings from New Zealand, China, and Poland. The speed cubing community brought Sorell Memorial Hall alive from the opening turn to the final stop of the timer. As Tassie Summer 2024 concluded, the mix of elite times and widespread personal bests set a vibrant marker for the Tasmanian competitive season.