Waihōpai Winter 2024

Inside the Invercargill Bridge Club, timers flashed across folding tables as hands hovered over puzzle mats in quiet concentration. Across two days of intense action in Invercargill, New Zealand, seventeen solvers gathered to test their skills over twenty-four rounds. Every fraction of a second carried major weight as podium spots hung on the thinnest of margins across eleven official disciplines.

The drama reached its peak in the fastest events, where victory was decided by mere blinks of an eye. In the 2x2x2 Cube final at Waihōpai Winter 2024, Adrien Auvray Matyn secured gold with a 2.00 average, edging Dwyane Ramos who posted a 2.18 average. Australia competitor Beau Brittain-Modesto completed that podium in 3.79. Clock brought an equally breathtaking finish, as Ramos took top honours with an average of 5.86, narrowly beating Matyn who finished with 6.10, while Daniel Fraser took third in 9.16.

The rivalry between Ramos and Matyn defined the upper half of the standings across the entire speedcubing schedule. Ramos put on an extraordinary display of versatility, claiming eight event victories across the weekend. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, Ramos took the title with a 10.63 average over Matyn who clocked 12.27 and Fraser who recorded 19.96. Ramos also dominated 4x4x4 Cube with an average of 33.07, 5x5x5 Cube in 51.53, and Skewb with a 3.44 mark.

When it came to the classic Rubik's Cube, Ramos delivered standout performances across all three rounds. The premier 3x3 results saw Ramos capture first place with an average of 6.82 and a best single of 5.47. Matyn claimed second place on the 3x3x3 Cube podium with an 8.11 average, while Fraser rounded out the top three with 8.96. The 2024 gathering demonstrated the impressive depth of top-tier talent present in the Southland region.

Beyond the championship battles, the cubing competition served as a stage for remarkable personal milestones. Luis Varias enjoyed massive breakthroughs across his seven events, dropping his Skewb personal best by sixty-three percent to 6.52, improving his Megaminx mark by 33.9 percent to 1:20.00, and lowering his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 1:31.47 while finishing fifth in Megaminx. Mehul Pankaj Girhotra delivered sharp gains across ten disciplines, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 56.3 percent down to 1.94, his Clock best by 30.8 percent to 15.16, and taking seventh place in Pyraminx. Oscar Childs tackled eleven events, improving his Clock best by twenty-eight percent to 8.87, lowering his 3x3x3 Cube time by 15.3 percent to 9.77, and taking fifth place in 6x6x6 Cube.

The spirit of testing new boundaries resonated across the field as competitors expanded their repertoires. Jacob Davey took on eleven events, logging his first ever official attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 44.12, his first Megaminx attempt with 2:10.38, while taking fourth in 6x6x6 Cube and improving his Skewb best by 35.7 percent to 7.68. Jayden Smith entered eight events and improved his Clock best by 39.2 percent to 19.09, finishing seventh. First-time WCA competition entrant Finley Sharman contested nine events, recording initial official marks of 26.26 in 3x3x3 Cube, 1:44.60 in 4x4x4 Cube, and 47.43 in Clock. Fellow debutant Quade Boutcher posted first-time marks of 15.90 in Pyraminx and 20.00 in Skewb, while newcomer Finn Tomes recorded a 9.32 in 2x2x2 Cube and a 34.87 in 3x3x3 Cube.

The big cubes provided a test of stamina and technical precision over August 10 and August 11. Ramos swept the heavy hardware, capturing the 6x6x6 Cube title with a 1:35.15 average ahead of James Dyer who logged 2:02.57 and Matyn who secured third with 2:41.46. In the 7x7x7 Cube final, Ramos won in 2:34.15, with Dyer taking second place in 2:52.68 and Fraser stepping onto the podium in third with a 3:46.13 average.

Side events offered Matyn his own moments at the top of the podium. Matyn triumphed in Megaminx with a 42.48 average and a best single of 39.52, while also capturing the Pyraminx title in 2.78, finishing ahead of Brittain-Modesto on 3.74 and Ramos on 3.77. The overall medal count reflected a dominant home performance, with New Zealand competitors collecting thirty-one podium finishes while Australia claimed two.

As Waihōpai Winter 2024 drew to a close, the energy in the Invercargill Bridge Club captured the vibrant culture of modern speed cubing. From the razor-thin margins at the top of the scoreboards to the substantial personal records achieved by emerging competitors, the tournament delivered a memorable showcase of skill and dedication that will resonate into the next competitive season.