UCSD Please Be Qualified 2024

Inside the halls of UC San Diego, the tables were quiet and the focus was absolute on March 17, 2024. Competitors adjusted their timers and stared intently at scrambled puzzles, surrounded by the subtle, steady sound of turning layers. With 19 competitors gathered in San Diego, California, USA, the gathering brought together a tight-knit field ready to tackle five demanding events across five single rounds. The atmosphere blended patient calculation with high-stakes execution, setting the stage for a day filled with remarkable statistical achievements.

The 3x3x3 Fewest Moves discipline served as a massive showcase for analytical mastery, producing a flurry of official milestones. Kyeongmin Choi delivered an extraordinary performance to win the event, logging a single solve of 21 moves and an average of 22.67 moves. The round was particularly fruitful across the board, with Michael Young securing second place with a 28.00 average alongside a 23 single, while Alex Lehman completed the podium in third with an average of 41.33 and a 35 single. These marks highlighted the deep preparation brought into this high-level speedcubing competition.

Further down the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves scorecards, the statistical milestones kept flowing. Nate Minkevich finished fourth with a 43.00 average and a 40 single, while Ethan Woll secured fifth with a 45.00 average and a 38 single. Liv Coverdale also earned a 49.00 average with a best of 47, and August Barnard registered a 59.00 average with a 59 single. Single-solve benchmarks were also recorded by Diego Isai Mijangos Flores with 31 moves, Ryan Morrison with 35 moves, and Kate Grahame with 39 moves, showing just how prolific the event proved to be for the entire lineup.

Beyond the search for efficient turn counts, the blindfolded events saw Graham Siggins put on a clinic in concentration and spatial recall. Blindfolded solving requires immense memorisation and flawless execution under intense mental pressure, and Siggins delivered across every round he entered. In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, Siggins took first place by successfully resolving 57 out of 64 cubes in a time of 58:59. Grahame finished second with 8 out of 9 cubes in 56:52, and Woll claimed third place with a flawless 5 out of 5 in 36:29.

Siggins extended his winning run into the larger blindfolded puzzles with commanding victories. In the 4x4x4 Blindfolded contest, Siggins posted a winning single of 1:42.86 to capture the gold, finishing ahead of Choi, who earned second place with a time of 5:05.96, and Matthew Dickman in third at 10:13.00. Siggins then claimed his third title of the day in 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a single of 3:33.79. Choi took the silver medal with a 21:13.00, while Grahame earned the bronze with a 32:39.00 result, showcasing endurance on big cubes without sight.

Big cube specialists also took to the stage for the 7x7x7 Cube, which proved to be a display of relentless turning and pacing. Grahame dominated the round, securing first place with an impressive winning average of 2:13.34 and a best single of 2:02.58 across the 14 competitors who entered. Diego Isai Mijangos Flores claimed second place on the podium with an average of 2:59.50, and Choi added another podium finish to his tally by taking third place with a 3:02.20 average, rounding out a competitive set of big cube results.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors made substantial progress and took on fresh challenges at UCSD Please Be Qualified 2024. Daniel Isaac Garcia Arechiga cut his 7x7x7 Cube personal best down to 4:09.84, which was 10.7 percent faster than his previous mark, and also recorded his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 52. Ryan Morrison tackled five separate events, taking fourth place in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, posting his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 11:15.00, and logging a 3x3x3 Multi-Blind personal best of 6 out of 7 in 45:58, which was 4.1 percent faster than before. Liv Coverdale recorded a 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best of 47, improving by 7.8 percent and finishing sixth.

The depth of the field was equally evident in other personal milestones across the schedule. Jesús Armando Aguirre Ibarra posted a 7x7x7 Cube personal best of 4:04.32, an improvement of 7.5 percent that earned him ninth place. Jason Chang took on his first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube, logging a time of 5:15.36 while also placing 12th in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Dylan Trueblood tackled all five events on the roster and secured a best finish of fourth in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, matching Justin Wang, who also achieved a best finish of fourth in the same event. Jonathan Soto Valenzuela rounded out an active day by taking fourth place in the 7x7x7 Cube.

The action at UCSD Please Be Qualified 2024 wrapped up with the United States collecting 10 podium positions, Korea earning four, and Mexico taking one. For fans monitoring the broader circuit and tracking 3x3 results, this specialized cubing competition offered a showcase of mental stamina and technical precision. As competitors packed up their Rubik's Cube gear and reviewed their marks, this classic WCA competition in San Diego demonstrated the distinct skill sets required across the modern speed cubing landscape.