Tramsheds I: Newcomer Sunday 2024

A total of 109 competitors gathered in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on March 3, 2024, to take part in a packed schedule of speedcubing. Tramsheds I: Newcomer Sunday 2024 served as a welcoming arena for dozens of emerging solvers while offering top-tier talent an intense platform to perform. Staged at the Harold Park Community Hall, the single-day gathering spanned six rounds across two official events. The bustling venue offered a lively snapshot of Australian speed cubing as newcomers stepped onto the tournament stage alongside seasoned veterans.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood as the primary draw of the day, drawing 108 entrants through three hard-fought rounds. Caden Liu set the standard across the event, securing first place on the podium with a winning average of 7.01 seconds and delivering a day-best single solve of 6.64 seconds. Liam Highducheck took the second podium spot with an average of 8.29 seconds, while Joshua Almanza completed the top three with an average of 9.00 seconds. Solvers throughout the field pushed their limits on the classic Rubik's Cube, producing sharp turn rates in high-stakes elimination rounds.

The 3x3 results also included standout intermediate marks as competitors advanced toward the final round. Liu clocked single attempts of 6.87 seconds and an average of 7.56 seconds earlier in the bracket. Highducheck posted a 7.47 single and an 8.08 average, while Almanza delivered a 7.54 single alongside an 8.41 average. Thomas Tinlin notched an 8.40 single and 8.77 average, Sebastian Lee recorded a 7.98 single and 9.33 average, and Eunsu Kim logged an 8.38 single with a 10.10 average. Edward Rust, Peri Le Dain, Reyansh Gupta, and Daniel Wang also contributed sub-nine singles and swift averages.

Beyond the main event, the Pyraminx competition brought fast-paced turning to 78 competitors across three rounds. Sebastian Lee swept to victory on the triangular puzzle, locking in a winning average of 1.94 seconds alongside a blistering event-best single of 1.25 seconds. Liam Sawade secured second place on the podium with an average of 2.78 seconds, followed closely by Aron Stapleton in third position with an average of 3.16 seconds. The rapid sequences of the puzzle created a tense atmosphere as finalists aimed for sub-two marks on the stage.

Away from the top of the leaderboards, Tramsheds I: Newcomer Sunday 2024 highlighted massive personal milestones from competitors charting their own journeys. Sebastian Bryson sliced his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 17.11 seconds, which was 75.4 percent faster than his prior mark of 1:09.69, while also taking his first ever attempt at Pyraminx to finish in 15.63 seconds. Calvin Berin Jose cut his 3x3x3 Cube personal record by 54.2 percent down to 15.27 seconds from 33.36, alongside his debut Pyraminx solve of 11.61 seconds. Mitchell Elkin improved his 3x3x3 Cube best by 49.7 percent to 21.84 seconds and registered his first Pyraminx solve at 14.64 seconds.

The breakthroughs continued across the roster as Kai Tagg dropped his Pyraminx personal record by 68 percent down to 3.77 seconds from an earlier 11.78. Ben Kennedy lowered his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 38.2 percent to 29.62 seconds and completed his first Pyraminx attempt in 15.57 seconds. Vayum Goel recorded a 33.7 percent improvement on 3x3x3 Cube with a 21.38-second solve while notching an 8.38 in his first Pyraminx run. Annson Hu cut his 3x3x3 Cube record by 33 percent to 20.07 seconds with an 11.22 Pyraminx debut, and Scott Contini improved his Pyraminx personal best by 46.9 percent to 7.55 seconds.

For several participants, this cubing competition served as their first official WCA competition experience. Jason Teng completed his maiden attempts in both events, logging a 34.64-second 3x3x3 Cube solve and a 9.65-second Pyraminx result. Benjamin Stephens entered the official rankings with a 25.22-second 3x3x3 Cube effort and an 8.10-second Pyraminx solve. Yicheng Xu registered marks of 1:05.68 on the 3x3x3 Cube and 13.20 on the Pyraminx, while James Shen delivered a 27.77-second 3x3x3 Cube single and a 15.66-second Pyraminx time in his tournament debut.

All six podium positions across the two events were claimed by competitors representing Australia, highlighting the depth of local solving talent. The efficient schedule provided an ideal balance between introductory competition rounds and high-level bracket play. Every round pushed participants to master inspection, reduce turn pauses, and manage pressure under official timing equipment.

As the day wrapped up at Harold Park Community Hall, Tramsheds I: Newcomer Sunday 2024 demonstrated how critical entry-level events are for the development of Australian cubing. The combination of first-time entrants and established speedcubers created a memorable atmosphere throughout all six rounds. Solvers left Sydney with new personal records, official results on the books, and valuable stage experience to build on for the rest of the 2024 season.