UCSD Weeknights II 2024

Ishaan Hadkar delivered the standout performance of the evening in San Diego, California, USA, capturing the 5x5x5 Cube title with a winning average of 1:01.69. Big cube disciplines demand flawless execution, where long-form formats offer zero margin for error and a single misaligned layer can derail an entire solve. Hadkar laid down a best single of 56.28 seconds during his run, keeping his composure over multiple solves to pull ahead of the pack. Shane Grogan claimed the second step on the podium with a 1:06.56 average, while Alex Lehman followed in third with a 1:18.18 mark.

Held on November 14, 2024, at the UC San Diego campus, UCSD Weeknights II 2024 brought together 19 competitors across 3 events and 3 rounds of intense speedcubing action. The condensed evening format gave entrants an opportunity to test their skills in an official WCA competition setting without a multi-day schedule. Across the tables, participants faced a diverse set of puzzles, transitioning from large twisty puzzles requiring deep algorithmic recall to lightning-fast sprints. The lineup provided a balanced showcase of technical mastery and tactical patience in 2024.

The 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event brought its own distinct pressures, as competitors took on multiple blindfolded cubes in a race against the clock where memory lapses carry severe penalties. Alvin Liu emerged victorious, successfully solving 13 out of 16 cubes in a time of 49:49. Dylan Trueblood finished as the runner-up with an impressive 8 out of 10 cubes solved in 49:03. Alex Lehman secured third place on the podium by delivering a perfect 5 out of 5 cubes solved in 44:47, capping off an intense discipline requiring absolute spatial precision.

Shorter puzzles provided the sharpest contrast to the blindfolded disciplines, with the 2x2x2 Cube producing rapid turnarounds and razor-thin separations at UCSD Weeknights II 2024. Joel Kim took first place with a winning average of 2.69 seconds, aided by a best single of 2.54 seconds. Shane Grogan followed closely behind with a 3.01 average, adding a second podium to his evening tally. Micah Isaiah McBride rounded out the top three, logging an average of 3.28 seconds with a best single of 2.62 seconds in the single-round contest.

Beyond the podium finishes, the evening was shaped by notable personal milestones from competitors making substantial leaps in their times. Manning Karahashi (唐橋康成) highlighted the progress on big cubes by registering a new personal best of 1:30.99 in the 5x5x5 Cube, improving on their previous mark by 10.1 percent, while also finishing 9th overall. Jason Chang (章維祐) also achieved a new 5x5x5 Cube personal best of 1:31.75, cutting 3.8 percent from their former record on the way to an 8th-place finish. In the same event, Hugo Lai tackled his first ever official attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube, clocking a solid 1:31.76 to claim 10th place.

First-time competitors also left their mark during the cubing competition, stepping onto the stage to register their maiden official times. Luke Monasmith made his official debut by logging a 6.67 in his first ever attempt at the 2x2x2 Cube, earning 14th place. Owen Monasmith also took on his first official competition, completing his first ever attempt at the 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 10.33 to finish 15th. Alex Carney competed in 2 events, finishing 13th in the 5x5x5 Cube while recording a 12.85 in his first ever attempt at the 2x2x2 Cube. Jimbo Cai earned a best finish of 4th place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, and Muhtasim Al-Farabi secured a 7th-place result in the 2x2x2 Cube.

The competitive field featured a wide range of speed cubing experience, with competitors managing time management, inspection windows, and technical setups under the pressure of official judging. Dylan Govic navigated 2 events, taking 4th place in the 5x5x5 Cube, while Michael Young finished 5th in the 5x5x5 Cube across his 3 events. Andrii Atamaniuk (Андрій Атаманюк) added strong representation with a 6th-place finish in the 5x5x5 Cube, demonstrating high-level execution among the 15 competitors in the bracket.

Throughout UCSD Weeknights II 2024, the variety of formats highlighted the broad appeal of Rubik's Cube solving, from rapid sprint solves to high-stakes memory tests. While traditional 3x3 results often capture attention across regional circuits, specialized weekday formats offer valuable focus on distinctive events. With the final scores entered into the record books, competitors in the San Diego region wrapped up a fast-paced night of competition, setting benchmarks that will carry into future tournament appearances.