UMBC Winter 2024

A blistering final round from Raihan Sadr settled the premier event at UMBC Winter 2024, as the American solver posted a winning 7.52-second average to secure the 3x3x3 Cube title. Solvers journeyed from across the region and international borders, including competitors representing Mozambique and Colombia, to gather on March 2, 2024, at the University Center in Catonsville, Maryland, USA. The single-day speedcubing gathering brought together 136 competitors who traversed miles of highway and flight paths to test their skills across nine intense rounds of action.

The 2024 edition of the event carried high energy into the main arena, offering a full slate of puzzle categories ranging from rapid pyramid rotations to the sheer endurance demanded by the larger layers. The official WCA competition gave travelers a welcoming stage to demonstrate months of practice. While the 3x3 results drew considerable attention from the audience, the sheer variety of events ensured that participants who traveled long distances had ample opportunity to leave their mark on the tournament tables.

The fight for the classic Rubik's Cube crown proved exceptionally tight through three rounds of competition. Sadr edged out Michael Nielsen, who claimed second place with an average of 7.60 seconds, while Brayden Adams rounded out the podium with a 7.96 average. Sadr also registered a best single solve of 6.65 seconds during his campaign. In the semifinal and preliminary rounds, multiple competitors established strong marks, including Adams with a 7.41 single and a 7.83 average, while Nielsen posted a 6.74 single.

Beyond the standard 3x3, the big cubes delivered major drama for the speed cubing fans in attendance. Matthew Rich secured victory in the 4x4x4 Cube, pacing an 81-competitor field with a winning average of 33.95 seconds and a standout single of 31.80. Adams claimed another podium position by taking second place with an average of 34.73 seconds, finishing just ahead of Blake Thompson, who logged a 34.81 average to secure third place in the two-round event.

In the largest puzzle of the day, Sanzhar Beisembayev mastered the 7x7x7 Cube with a commanding winning average of 3:05.19, complemented by the best single time of the event at 3:01.39 across 25 competitors. Stone Payne followed in second place with an average of 3:16.88, while Kobe Balin completed the top three with a 3:37.72 mark. Beisembayev also turned heads earlier in the day by delivering an explosive 5.34-second single during the 3x3x3 Cube rounds.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that highlighted the depth of the field. Sebastian Adeleke authored one of the most drastic leaps of the weekend, dropping his Pyraminx personal best to 9.97 seconds, an improvement of 58.4 percent over his prior mark of 23.97, while also shaving 18.7 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 30.73 solve. James O'Connell showed tremendous versatility across three events, cutting his Skewb best down to 2.91 seconds for a 52.1 percent drop and taking on his first ever official attempt at Pyraminx with a swift 3.26 finish.

The personal breakthroughs continued across the tournament floor as solvers pushed into brand-new territory. Eli Perez took on four events, completing a first ever attempt at Skewb in 8.99 seconds, an initial 4x4x4 Cube solve in 1:25.87, and dropping his Pyraminx personal best by 36.5 percent to 9.26. Bryant Shum slashed his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 33.8 percent down to 1:38.02 alongside a first official Pyraminx solve of 9.70 seconds. Neel Nilesh Bhatt registered his first official Skewb attempt in 7.26 seconds and dropped his Pyraminx personal best by 31 percent to 10.13. Alexander Claro knocked 30.9 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube best with a 57.21 solve while logging a first Pyraminx attempt of 8.51. Jackson Avery made his first attempts at Pyraminx in 11.72 seconds and Skewb in 17.52 seconds, improving his 4x4x4 Cube time by 21.9 percent to 1:16.14. Timothy Klingler also recorded dual debuts in Pyraminx at 10.56 seconds and Skewb at 10.89 seconds, while improving his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 15.4 percent to 20.62.

The side events closed out with blistering performances in both Pyraminx and Skewb. Nielsen dominated the 109-person Pyraminx field, winning with an exceptional 2.23 average and a top single of 1.53 seconds, finishing ahead of Adams and Leland Pak. In Skewb, Brad Hoffman captured top honors with a 3.64 average over Balin and Nielsen, sealing a thrilling finish to the competition schedule.

As the final timers stopped and solvers packed up their gear, UMBC Winter 2024 proved to be an unforgettable stop on the tournament calendar. With competitors logging hundreds of collective miles to reach Maryland, the day delivered outstanding individual growth and memorable races across every format, setting a high standard as the community looks forward to the next season of play.