Ticonderoga 2024

Nine events and exactly nine rounds defined the schedule as an ultra-compact field assembled for Ticonderoga 2024. Staged on November 9, 2024, at the Best Western Plus Ticonderoga, the one-day gathering brought 6 competitors to Ticonderoga, New York, USA. Without multi-round cuts or progression ladders, every single event unfolded in a direct final format. That direct setup meant competitors had no preliminary phases to calibrate their nerves, making immediate accuracy decisive across every discipline on the schedule.

The straight-to-finals structure put immense weight on early consistency, particularly in the traditional Rubik's Cube. The classic 3x3 results saw Levi Gibson capture top honors with an average of 8.17 seconds, backed by a quick 6.98 best single. Elijah Rain Phelps secured the second spot on the podium with an 8.47 average and a 7.40 single. Evan Liu rounded out the top three with an 8.94 mark, while Saisabari Ramesh delivered a steady 9.84 average to complete a tightly contested event.

Evan Liu emerged as the weekend's most prolific winner across the wider puzzle lineup, handling the direct finals pressure with precision. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Liu captured victory with a 2.16 average and a 1.65 single, narrowly edging Levi Gibson who posted a 2.18 average and the fastest single of the round at 1.02. Saisabari Ramesh placed third with a 2.31 average, and Elijah Rain Phelps followed close behind in fourth with a 2.37 average in a lightning-fast sprint.

In the mid-sized and big cube disciplines, Evan Liu continued to set the pace throughout the cubing competition. He claimed the 4x4x4 Cube crown with an average of 33.61 seconds and a 29.81 single, staying clear of Elijah Rain Phelps at 34.65 and Levi Gibson at 37.62. Stepping up to the 5x5x5 Cube, Liu maintained his commanding form by recording a winning 58.47 average, the only sub-minute result of the event, ahead of Phelps who finished second in 1:07.68 and Ramesh in third at 1:13.87.

The 6x6x6 Cube concluded with another dominant showing by Evan Liu, who took the win with a 1:42.42 mean and a single of 1:38.76. Elijah Rain Phelps locked in second place at 2:20.13, while Levi Gibson captured third with 2:34.89. Liu also added a victory in the Clock event, completing an average of 4.73 seconds alongside a 3.45 single to wrap up five distinct gold medals during an extraordinarily efficient day of speedcubing across upstate New York.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, the direct format provided valuable competitive milestones for other dedicated participants at the gathering. Lyle Goldader took on six separate events, achieving a career-best finish of 5th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 24.75 average, while also completing a first official attempt in the 5x5x5 Cube at 2:34.38 and a first attempt in Clock at 26.84. Yannai Arazi entered seven disciplines, earning a personal best average of 49.98 seconds in 3x3x3 One-Handed to improve by 13.6 percent, along with logging a debut Clock average of 40.17 and a 5th-place finish in 5x5x5 Cube.

The specialized side events provided exciting variety under the single-round format. Elijah Rain Phelps stood at the top in Square-1, producing a decisive winning average of 7.76 seconds and the day's best single at 6.21. Levi Gibson earned the silver position with a 14.08 average, narrowly holding off Saisabari Ramesh who finished third with 14.62. In Megaminx, Saisabari Ramesh earned a well-deserved gold medal, logging a 52.92 winning average to finish ahead of Evan Liu at 58.85 and Phelps at 59.09.

One-handed solving rounded out the comprehensive showcase of speed cubing talent. Levi Gibson secured his second victory of the competition in 3x3x3 One-Handed, setting a tournament-leading 13.77 average with a best single of 13.02 seconds. Evan Liu followed in second place with a 16.20 average, while Saisabari Ramesh claimed third on the podium with an 18.39 result, closing out the USA-dominated medal table across all nine contested events.

The streamlined proceedings at Ticonderoga 2024 demonstrated how a focused WCA competition format can produce high-quality times without extensive multi-tiered rounds. With 27 podium awards earned across the roster, every participant made an immediate impact on the final standings. As the 2024 calendar heads toward its conclusion, the efficient one-day tournament in Ticonderoga stands as a model of direct, high-stakes competition.