TN Speedsolving Winter 2024

Inside the spacious hall of Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, the rhythm of plastic mechanisms snapping into alignment set the tempo for an intense day of competition. Speedcubers adjusted their mats, inspected scrambled puzzles, and waited for the official timers to illuminate green. The venue was packed with energy as solvers gathered on February 10, 2024, bringing together both seasoned veterans and rising talents across the region. Across six distinct events, every single piece turned toward determining who would take the top honors in an unforgettable showcase of fast hands and sharp calculation.

The one-day WCA competition attracted 114 competitors, creating a buzzing atmosphere where 13 rounds of head-to-head solving unfolded. When the final tallies were locked into the official records, competitors representing the United States pulled off a complete sweep of every available podium spot. Across all six events, all eighteen top-three placements went exclusively to American solvers, leaving no doubt about the depth of speedcubing talent present in the hall throughout the tournament.

Leading the charge across multiple categories was Luke Garrett, who claimed victories in three separate puzzles at TN Speedsolving Winter 2024. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube, Garrett secured first place with an impressive 5.75 winning average, also throwing down a best single of 5.24. He was joined on the marquee podium by Micah Morrison, who took second with a 7.13 average, and Miles Lentz, who earned third with a mark of 7.49. Garrett kept his momentum rolling in the smaller format, seizing the 2x2x2 Cube title with a 1.57 winning average and a 0.94 single.

Garrett also showed absolute mastery in the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a winning average of 27.60 alongside a fast 23.85 single to fend off fierce competition. Katie Hull finished in second place with a 28.06 average, while Nicolás Sánchez captured third place with 31.03. Sánchez also produced notable marks in the earlier 2x2x2 Cube rounds, registering a 1.03 single and a 1.66 average. Luke Garrett continued his podium run across the board, earning second place in the 5x5x5 Cube, second in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, and second in Skewb.

While the top steps went to familiar champions, the heart of this cubing competition beat in the extensive personal breakthroughs achieved by developing solvers. Shook Anderson Gallagher delivered a massive leap in Skewb, setting a new personal best of 4.26, which was 78 percent faster than their previous best, alongside taking on their first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 4.12. Cooper-Beckett Madison made their mark with a 17.94 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube, cutting 47.1 percent off their former record, while also tackling their first ever attempt at Skewb in 17.22. Levi Tuanama dropped their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 43 percent down to 13.79 and posted a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:45.98. Steven Adeeb sliced 40.2 percent from their previous best in the 3x3x3 Cube to finish in 25.97 and logged a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with 9.33.

The progress continued with Alexander Rocky Klingberg, who improved their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 37.8 percent to 20.04 after logging a first ever attempt at Skewb in 20.36. Stratton Kellman entered five events and lowered their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 32.4 percent down to 2.34, while also completing a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 2:53.29. Ian Wayne Blair recorded a 52.92 in the 4x4x4 Cube to beat their personal best by 25.7 percent, earning a best finish of 29th in the 5x5x5 Cube after a first attempt of 1:54.73. William E. Coane took on five events, improving their 4x4x4 Cube best by 31 percent to 1:01.07 and recording a best finish of 40th in the 5x5x5 Cube. Moments like these reflected the real depth and hard work that speed cubing fosters across every level.

The big-cube and non-standard brackets delivered their own share of drama as well. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Micah Morrison outpaced the field of 57 competitors with a winning average of 56.70 and a stellar 53.34 single to take first place, ahead of Garrett and third-place finisher Katie Hull, who clocked a 57.76 average. Over at the Skewb tables, Tyler Buel earned the championship title after three rounds of play, recording a winning average of 3.52 and a best single of 2.10, besting Garrett and third-place finisher Mason Langenderfer.

In the specialized 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where solving requires precise memorisation without visual feedback, Mason Langenderfer clinched victory with a fast 37.18 single. Garrett secured second place with 39.06, and Evan Brown locked in third place with a time of 1:14.42. The wide variety of categories tested every dimension of mechanical precision and mental discipline, from classic Rubik's Cube solving to complex multi-layer execution.

As the final timers were packed away and the standings finalized, the weekend proved to be an outstanding showcase in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. With comprehensive podium dominance by home-nation solvers, standout individual performances, and widespread personal bests, TN Speedsolving Winter 2024 delivered an exceptional benchmark for the year. Competitors left the venue with fresh milestones in hand, looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities waiting in the next season of competitive solving.