Vancouver Newcomers Afternoon 2024

The Scottish Cultural Centre buzzed with focused energy as timers clicked, puzzle faces aligned, and scorecards circulated across the competition floor. Solvers from opposite sides of the border gathered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on March 16, 2024, eager to test their practice under official conditions. The single-day fixture brought together 73 competitors across five rounds and three disciplines, providing an immediate cross-border showdown between the deep local Canadian contingent and visiting American talent.

Across the schedule of this WCA competition, the regional contest played out on every table. Canadian competitors locked down seven total podium positions throughout the afternoon, maintaining strong control over the premier events, while visiting solver Ash Black from the United States mounted a fierce counterattack by capturing two separate titles. The rivalry produced sharp results from the opening scrambles all the way to the final solves of the day.

The marquee 3x3x3 Cube contest stood as the primary battleground for national pride. Spanning two intense rounds among 73 entrants, the classic Rubik's Cube event saw Canadian representative Kenny Zhong capture the title with an impressive winning average of 7.78 seconds, backed by a best single of 7.13 seconds. Fellow Canadian Luke Jankowiak secured the runner-up spot with an 8.11 average, while Peter Barnwell completed an all-Canadian podium sweep with an 8.67 average.

The official 3x3 results reflected deep competition, with several solvers pushing through personal milestones. Luke Jankowiak delivered a 7.62 single and an 8.10 average during the proceedings, while Jose Miguel Valdes Rodriguez turned in a 7.47 single and an 8.41 average for Canada. Peter Barnwell posted a 7.57 single alongside an 8.52 average, Kenny Zhong recorded an 8.07 single and 8.57 average, and Ethan Rusnak delivered an average of 7.43 and a single of 7.20. Ash Black answered for the United States with a sharp 6.76 single.

The Pyraminx event expanded the international clash across two competitive rounds featuring 48 solvers. Ash Black seized first place for the United States with a winning average of 2.91 seconds and a rapid single of 2.40. Canadian finalists answered with determination as Ash Chen claimed the second spot on the podium with a 3.70 average, followed closely by Jose Miguel Valdes Rodriguez in third place with a 4.19 average.

In the single-round Skewb event, 44 competitors stepped forward in another high-paced cross-border contest. Ash Black earned a second tournament victory for the United States, finishing atop the table with a 2.14 winning average and a 1.99 single. Canadian talent pushed hard to keep the margins tight, as Kevin Lê captured second place with a 3.50 average and Kyle Van Straaten earned third place with a 4.44 average, demonstrating the depth of speedcubing skill throughout British Columbia.

Away from the top of the podium, Vancouver Newcomers Afternoon 2024 served as a breakthrough stage for competitors measuring progress against their own standards. Elliot Copeland produced one of the afternoon's most dramatic personal bests in Pyraminx, logging a 5.97 mark that improved on an earlier best by 50.4 percent, while also taking on a first ever attempt at Skewb with an 11.15. Reece Adams cut their 3x3x3 Cube personal best down to 31.25, an improvement of 45.8 percent, while completing first ever attempts in both Skewb at 11.42 and Pyraminx at 10.80. Ben Gilbert similarly dropped their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 43.8 percent down to 23.48, adding first attempts in Pyraminx at 9.72 and Skewb at 11.68. Liam Waaga shaved 36.2 percent off their Pyraminx best to hit 6.69.

The depth of the field at Vancouver Newcomers Afternoon 2024 was equally visible in solvers branching into new events and lowering established marks. Yu-Ruei Chen lowered their Skewb personal best by 30 percent to 6.13, finishing 10th in the event. Cylus Mackenzie reduced their Skewb mark by 26.6 percent to 9.55 across three events entered. Justin Hong tackled first ever attempts in Skewb at 4.90 and Pyraminx at 4.05, while improving their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 22 percent to 9.03. Shepard Watson rounded out the strong improvements by taking 20.9 percent off their Pyraminx best to record a 6.21.

First-time entrants added further vitality to the cubing competition, with Eric Yuran Geng, Felix Hong, Xavier Hong, and Joshua Jung all completing their debut appearances on the official circuit. Each of these newcomers took on all three scheduled puzzles, establishing their initial marks across 3x3x3 Cube, Pyraminx, and Skewb to begin their respective journeys in competitive speed cubing.

With seven podium finishes staying in Canada and two event titles heading south to the United States, Vancouver Newcomers Afternoon 2024 highlighted the strength of regional rivalries in Western Canada. The day closed with competitors exchanging notes, comparing puzzle setups, and packing their gear, having set a high standard of performance for the upcoming season.