Tokai Open PM 2024

Inside the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center, the steady clatter of rotating plastic filled the hall as timers activated across the stations. Solvers sat focused under the bright venue lighting in Kariya, Aichi, Japan, methodically inspecting scrambles before setting down their hands. Across the room, judges tracked every turn and stop during an intense day of competition on September 15, 2024. The single-day tournament offered an intimate yet fiercely competitive stage where sixty-seven competitors gathered to test their skills in a compact schedule.

As the late-summer calendar turned toward the autumn phase of the 2024 speedcubing circuit, Tokai Open PM 2024 arrived at a pivotal moment in the year. Speed cubing contenders across the region utilized this late-season gathering to sharpen their solve executions and establish critical benchmarks ahead of upcoming regional fixtures. With only two disciplines staged across three total rounds, the streamlined timetable created a direct, high-stakes atmosphere where every solve carried heavy weight on the official standings board.

The classic 3x3x3 Cube drew all sixty-seven participants into a solitary, decisive round of action. Hong Kong competitor Ivan Li Ka Leong rose to the top of the 3x3 results by delivering a winning average of 6.90 seconds, highlighted by the round's fastest single solve of 5.53 seconds. Kai-Wen Wang of Taiwan challenged closely, securing second place on the podium with a 7.04 average and a best single of 5.95 seconds. Japanese solver Kohdai Kusatani claimed third position with an 8.52 average after logging an 8.08 single.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest also produced major milestones on the international scoreboards. Kotaro Yoshida of Cambodia delivered a standout moment by logging a national record single of 6.02 seconds, finishing in seventh place overall with a 9.05 average. Further down the upper standings of the Rubik's Cube main event, Japanese contenders posted notable marks, including Sho Kashiyama with an 8.72 average, Yuki Shionoya averaging 8.92, Shuhei Omura recording a 9.01 average, Makoto Takaoka finishing at 9.11, Masayuki Hirai notching 9.60, and Takayuki Tanaka completing the top ten with 9.67.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved striking personal milestones throughout the schedule. Keita Hibi took on two disciplines in just his second career tournament, lowering his 3x3x3 personal best to 10.21 seconds, an improvement of 31.8 percent from 14.96, while achieving a 26th-place finish and completing his first ever official attempt in the 5x5x5 Cube in 1:14.00. Kotaro Yoshida improved across both of his events, taking his 3x3x3 mark down 23.2 percent to 6.02 seconds and dropping his 5x5x5 best by 8.4 percent to 1:28.25. Aoto Nakano contested the 3x3x3 event to earn 48th place while cutting his personal best by 28.2 percent down to 15.60 seconds.

The breakthrough performances continued with Kazuaki Oshima, who took 39th in the 3x3x3 and achieved a massive 27.1 percent drop in the 5x5x5 Cube, bringing his personal record down to 1:33.57. Itsuki Yamamoto secured 38th in 3x3x3 with a new personal best of 13.33 seconds, a 20.6 percent reduction from 16.79, alongside a first career 5x5x5 attempt of 4:19.18. Rintaro Koide took on two events, reaching 36th in 3x3x3 with an 11.40 personal best and logging a first 5x5x5 mark of 1:53.66. Yusuke Suzuki registered a best finish of 44th in 3x3x3 and made his first official 5x5x5 attempt in 1:48.85, while veteran competitor Yuichi Hamada posted a 51st-place 3x3x3 finish and recorded his debut 5x5x5 result of 2:26.04.

The bigger puzzle category provided a two-round showcase for forty-three participants in the 5x5x5 Cube. Kai-Wen Wang demonstrated exceptional control over the complex layer alignments, capturing first place with a winning average of 41.80 seconds and posting the event's fastest single at 37.09 seconds. Ivan Li Ka Leong followed in second place with a 44.78 average, while Kohdai Kusatani rounded out the top three by securing third with an average of 54.97 seconds, mirroring the exact podium personnel seen earlier in the 3x3x3 event.

By the conclusion of Tokai Open PM 2024, podium honors were distributed evenly with two top-three finishes apiece for Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. The focused schedule proved how a targeted WCA competition can deliver sharp high-end results and meaningful personal breakthroughs simultaneously. As competitors packed up their gear in Kariya, the outcomes logged across the two puzzle categories set a demanding standard for the remainder of the 2024 cubing competition season.

The efficient single-day format demonstrated the enduring appeal of specialized, high-intensity speedcubing tournaments. Solvers departed the venue with new national records, personal bests, and valuable round experience under their belts. With the autumn slate now in full motion, the performances recorded in Aichi will serve as a strong measuring stick for all who took to the solving tables.

愛知県刈谷市産業振興センターで2024年9月15日に開催されたTokai Open PM 2024は、3x3x3 CubeにおいてIvan Li Ka Leong (李嘉亮)が圧巻の単発5.53、平均6.90をマークして優勝を果たす鮮烈な幕開けとなりました。1日限りの凝縮されたスケジュールの中で、スピードキュービングの精鋭たちが集い、僅差の攻防が繰り広げられました。

このTokai Open PM 2024には総勢67名もの競技者がエントリーし、2種目合計3ラウンドが実施されました。特に層の厚い3x3x3部門では、表彰台や上位進出を狙う選手たちが一発勝負の緊迫したラウンドに挑み、わずか1秒未満の間に何人もの実力者がひしめき合うハイレベルな戦いとなりました。

3x3x3 CubeではIvan Li Ka Leong (李嘉亮)に続き、TaiwanのKai-Wen Wang (王楷文)が単発5.95、平均7.04という好成績で2位に食い込みました。3位には単発8.08、平均8.52を揃えたJapanのKohdai Kusatani (草谷幸大)が入り、ルービックキューブの頂点を争う戦いは国際色豊かな上位陣によって彩られました。

さらにこの種目では、CambodiaのKotaro Yoshidaが単発6.02のカンボジア国内新記録を樹立して平均9.05をマークし、会場の熱気を一段と高めました。4位のSho Kashiyama (樫山匠)が平均8.72、5位のYuki Shionoya (塩野谷悠生)が平均8.92を記録したほか、Shuhei Omura (大村周平)の平均9.01、Makoto Takaoka (高岡誠)の平均9.11、Masayuki Hirai (平井雅之)の平均9.60、Takayuki Tanaka (田中隆喜)の平均9.67など、1桁秒台の記録が続出しました。

記録集計の数字の裏には、個々の挑戦を象徴する素晴らしいステップアップがありました。Yuiki Yoneyama (米山結絆)は2種目に出場し、5x5x5 Cubeで従来を18.8パーセント縮める1:19.36、3x3x3 Cubeでも10.8パーセント更新する8.13の自己ベストを叩き出して22位に入りました。Kuga Iwasa (岩佐空芽)も3x3x3 Cubeで自己記録を22.2パーセント短縮する13.69を記録して59位となりました。初挑戦の舞台で力を発揮した選手も多く、Kenji Kawashima (川嶋賢慈)は5x5x5 Cubeの初記録として2:26.32をマークし、Shota Nomiya (野宮将太)も同種目に初挑戦して1:46.39を残し3x3x3 Cubeでは30位に入りました。

公式大会の第一歩を踏み出した新鋭たちの奮闘も際立ちました。初めてのWCA competitionとなったYuto Nagamine (長嶺優人)は3x3x3 Cubeで9.30、5x5x5 Cubeで1:26.31を刻んで3x3x3で18位に入る堂々の成績を収めました。同じく初出場のHaru Matsuki (松木晴琉)は3x3x3 Cubeで9.50、5x5x5 Cubeで1:06.52をマークして23位に入り、Yusei Uchida (内田悠惺)も3x3x3 Cubeに初挑戦して18.86の記録で53位となりました。Yuji Kawazoe (川添悠二)は3x3x3 Cubeで20.48、5x5x5 Cubeで4:34.01の初記録を残して大会を完走しました。

43名が出場し2ラウンド制で行われた5x5x5 Cubeでは、Kai-Wen Wang (王楷文)が単発37.09、平均41.80という圧倒的なタイムを叩き出して見事に優勝を勝ち取りました。Ivan Li Ka Leong (李嘉亮)が平均44.78で2位、Kohdai Kusatani (草谷幸大)が平均54.97で3位に入り、両名とも3x3x3に続くダブル表彰台を獲得しました。

愛知の地で開催されたTokai Open PM 2024は、世界水準のスピードと各選手の弛まぬ鍛錬が交錯する濃密なキューブ大会となりました。トップ層のハイレベルな競り合いから初出場組の確かな足跡まで、すべての挑戦が刻まれたKariya, Aichi, Japanの一日は、参加した選手たちに確かな手応えを残して幕を閉じました。