Washtenaw Fall 2024

Inside the Morris J. Lawrence Building on October 19, 2024, the focused hum of twisting plastic set the rhythm for a full day of speedcubing. Tables arranged across the hall held timers, display mats, and stacks of puzzles waiting under covers as judges prepared the stations. Competitors mingled near the staging area, warming up their hands in the crisp morning chill before stepping up to the solve tables in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

The local stage at Washtenaw Fall 2024 set up an electric clash between two premier American competitors, Luke Garrett and Stanley Chapel. Performing on home soil, Garrett delivered a dominant overall performance, taking top honors across five separate events while Chapel fought closely alongside him. The duel between the two standout solvers defined the pace across multiple disciplines throughout the intense single-day meeting.

In the main 3x3x3 Cube event, Luke Garrett claimed the title with a tournament-winning average of 5.48 seconds, bolstered by a best single solve of 5.16 seconds across three demanding rounds of play. Stanley Chapel followed in second place with an 8.29 average, while Owen Widdis earned third place at 9.31 seconds. These decisive 3x3 results topped a packed field of 59 competitors taking on the classic Rubik's Cube.

Stanley Chapel made his mark atop the podium in the 2x2x2 Cube final, posting a winning average of 1.66 seconds with a best single of 1.25. Luke Garrett finished an exceedingly close second with a 1.69 average, and Eli Katz completed the podium in third with 2.31 seconds. Chapel also secured victory in the Clock event, recording a winning average of 4.90 seconds and a single of 4.00, outperforming Harsha Paladugu and Hunter Mackler.

Garrett asserted full control in the specialized categories across the rest of the schedule. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, he achieved a winning average of 9.55 seconds, leaving Chapel in second at 15.87 and Ansel de Jong in third at 16.17. Garrett then captured the Pyraminx crown with a 2.18 average, ahead of Chapel and Elliott Perkins, before conquering Square-1 with a 9.56 average and taking the 7x7x7 Cube with a mark of 2:27.44.

Behind the fight for the top spots, numerous participants celebrated major breakthroughs that defined the spirit of the cubing competition. David Wood took a massive step forward in Clock, logging a personal best of 15.17 seconds to improve by 53.4 percent over his previous mark of 32.53. Harper Rumschik trimmed 42.6 percent off his previous best in Pyraminx with an 8.49 effort, while Hadi Daniel Abdallah cut his 3x3x3 Cube best down to 25.05, a 42.3 percent leap from his prior 43.43.

The tournament also offered an ideal venue for fresh challenges and maiden outings. Lucas Hermiz tackled seven events, logging his first official attempt at Square-1 with a 22.99 while making his first 7x7x7 Cube attempt in 8:26.09. Andrew Pokornik registered his first official 3x3x3 Cube solve at 20.85, while Simon Poldi earned a best finish of ninth in Clock and set a 5.81 personal best. First-time WCA competition entrants Steven Stoddard and Zayd Akber completed strong debuts across four events each, finishing 11th in Clock and 27th in 3x3x3 Cube respectively.

Across seven events and 14 rounds, United States competitors swept all 21 available podium places during the action-packed weekend. The sheer breadth of events challenged solvers across every format, rewarding versatility, consistency, and quick problem-solving under pressure in front of the local crowd.

As the equipment was cleared away at the conclusion of Washtenaw Fall 2024, the gathering stood as a celebration of dedicated speed cubing. Solvers of all experience levels departed Ann Arbor with personal milestones achieved, setting a strong benchmark for the regional community as the competitive season moves ahead.