Tokai Open AM 2024

Eita Himeno delivered a decisive 7.86 average across the final round to secure victory in the main event, posting a sharp 6.95 best single solve along the way. That standout performance set the bar high at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center on September 15, 2024. The single-day tournament gathered 70 competitors for a tightly scheduled program of speedcubing in Kariya, Aichi, Japan. While top-tier times headlined the stage, the gathering stood out just as much for the wave of solvers tackling fresh formats and setting benchmark times in their early competitive careers.

The event featured two classic categories spread over three total rounds, making Tokai Open AM 2024 an intense showcase for both two-handed and one-handed solving. Solvers took on the challenge of the standard Rubik's Cube alongside the one-handed discipline, demanding rapid lookahead, flawless fingertricks, and composure. For dozens of participants at the tables, the meet served as an essential proving ground to gain experience and log official marks against an energetic field of fellow competitors.

In the 3x3x3 Cube, 68 competitors battled across a single high-stakes round to decide the final standings. The 3x3 results saw Japan sweep the podium spots in commanding fashion. Ao Nogami pushed the pace throughout the session, finishing in second place with an 8.00 average and a single of 6.70. Kantaro Sakamoto took third place on the podium with an 8.16 average, highlighted by the quickest single solve of the entire discipline at a blazing 5.90. Takahiro Aoki followed closely in fourth at 8.19 with a 7.32 single, while Kazuya Ishii locked down fifth at 8.29 with a 7.89 single.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed event unfolded over two competitive rounds, drawing 42 competitors into technical battles using a single hand to control the puzzle. Takumi Kato captured first place with an impressive winning average of 11.66 in the final round, having also set the fastest single solve of the event at 9.70. Ao Nogami earned another silver medal on the day, taking second place with an 11.86 average. Shunsuke Komoda rounded out the podium in third place with a mark of 12.63, capping a brilliant run across both disciplines after also placing sixth in standard 3x3 with an 8.64 average and a 7.55 single.

Beyond the top podium spots, several competitors delivered massive leaps forward on the scoresheet. Ryosei Yamashita entered two events at Tokai Open AM 2024, achieving a personal best 3x3x3 Cube average of 20.25, which was 16.1 percent faster than his prior mark of 24.13, while earning a 50th-place finish and tackling his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 51.52 solve. Hiroaki Aoki also took on both events, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 15.9 percent down to 33.14 from 39.41, placing 63rd and making his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:24.87. Mitsuki Sugiura contested both disciplines, trimming his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 12.4 percent to 10.66 from 12.17, and making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed to earn a best finish of 12th with a 17.69 solve.

The personal breakthroughs continued across the roster as more solvers tested their limits. Ryosei Yamada entered two events, besting his previous 3x3x3 Cube mark by 11.1 percent with a personal best of 14.08 compared to 15.84, finishing 42nd and making his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 24.33. Akira Murata registered two events, improving his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 9 percent to 14.36 from 15.78 for a 41st-place finish alongside his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 27.75. Keito Kawamoto took on both categories, securing 29th place in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 9.19, a 4.1 percent drop from 9.58, and logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 20.95. Mieko Isomoto completed both events, earning 62nd in 3x3x3 Cube with a 26.91 personal best and logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:40.83. Tomoki Matsuda also entered both events, taking 20th in 3x3x3 Cube with an 8.93 personal best and recording a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 22.08 result.

The depth of the field was evident throughout the single-round 3x3x3 Cube contest, where sub-10 averages stretched well into the top ten. Masaya Nakamoto posted an 8.88 average with a sharp 6.58 single, while Hajime Miyazaki logged a 9.25 average alongside an 8.66 single. Toshiya Sato and international competitor Dylan Govic of the United States matched each other with identical 9.53 averages, supported by singles of 8.99 and 9.07 respectively, illustrating the fierce level of competition present at the tables.

Every WCA competition provides a crucial stage for rising talents to convert practice into official times, and this cubing competition in Aichi proved to be no exception. Whether executing fingertricks under pressure or stepping up to unfamiliar events for the first time, solvers found plenty of success on the floor. With vibrant enthusiasm surrounding speed cubing across the region, Tokai Open AM 2024 concluded a memorable day of racing that leaves the local scene primed for future milestones.

2024年9月15日、Kariya, Aichi, Japanの刈谷市産業振興センターには朝から独特の緊張感が漂っていた。競技卓に置かれたスタックマットの感触を確かめ、照明の反射を計算しながらルービックキューブの回転を調整する選手たちの手元は、一瞬の気の緩みも許されない勝負の訪れを告げていた。

スピードキューブの大会では、わずか1回のミスが全体の順位を大きく左右する過酷な戦いが繰り広げられる。とくに試技数が限られる局面や一発勝負の形式では、1手のリズムの乱れや判断の遅れが致命傷となり、積み重ねてきた努力の成果が瞬時に試されることになる。

この日開催されたTokai Open AM 2024には70名のエントリーが集まり、2種目3ラウンドにわたってハイレベルなタイムが争われた。会場の集中力はラウンドが進むにつれて研ぎ澄まされ、タイマーストップのたびに張り詰めた空気が揺れ動いた。

メイン種目の3x3x3 Cubeでは68名が出場する激戦の中、Eita Himeno (姫野瑛太)が見事な安定感を発揮して平均7.86を記録し頂点に立った。ベスト単発でも6.95をマークしたEita Himeno (姫野瑛太)に対し、Ao Nogami (野上碧)が平均8.00で2位、Kantaro Sakamoto (坂本貫太郎)が単発5.90を叩き出しつつ平均8.16で3位に入った。

片手のみで揃える3x3x3 One-Handedは42名による2ラウンド制で行われ、Takumi Kato (加藤匠)が平均11.66とベスト単発9.70を揃えて優勝を果たした。2位には平均11.86のAo Nogami (野上碧)、3位には平均12.63のShunsuke Komoda (古茂田俊介)が入り、日本勢が表彰台を独占した。

順位表のトップ争いの裏側では、自己の限界に挑む数多くの挑戦があった。Aiki Yaginuma (柳沼愛輝)は3x3x3 One-Handedで従来の57.72から40.2パーセント短縮する34.52の自己新をマークし、3x3x3 Cubeでも13.85と14.7パーセント短縮を達成した。Makoto Asano (淺野真)は初挑戦の3x3x3 One-Handedで40.60を記録し、Kohei Fujitani (藤谷航平)も同種目初挑戦で11.71の好記録を残して3x3x3 Cubeでは12位に入った。Yuki Kanemoto (金本悠生)も初挑戦の片手競技で22.26をマークしている。

さらに初参加となるWCA competitionの舞台に立った選手たちも躍動した。Masaya Onuki (大貫雅哉)は3x3x3 Cube初挑戦で8.51をマークし11位に入るとともに3x3x3 One-Handedでも21.29を記録した。Naoto Urata (浦田直斗)は3x3x3 Cubeで11.91、片手で19.43を残し、Osei Ogawa (小川旺生)は3x3x3 Cubeで12.00、片手で26.36を記録した。Shizuma Kitsukawa (橘川静磨)も3x3x3 Cube初試技で9.23を出し26位、片手で22.29を刻んだ。

Tokai Open AM 2024で刻まれた一連の記録は、競技者の緻密な指先コントロールと日頃の鍛錬の賜物である。ミスの許されない緊迫した勝負を終えた選手たちは、それぞれの確かな成長と課題を胸に刻み、次なる競技シーズンへと歩みを進めていく。