Washtenaw Winter 2024

The tables inside the Morris J. Lawrence Building buzzed with continuous motion as solvers rotated through an expansive slate of mechanical challenges. From tetrahedral pyramids and shifting cuboids to the classic six-colored cubes, the competition area presented an ever-changing landscape of turning plastic. Competitors warmed up their fingers, adjusted tensions, and studied scramble sheets across an intense single-day schedule that tested distinct solving techniques in quick succession.

Held in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA on January 13, 2024, Washtenaw Winter 2024 brought together a dedicated field of 52 competitors. Across 13 total rounds, participants tackled five distinct events, demonstrating that modern speedcubing rewards versatility across widely differing hardware formats. The gathering offered a full examination of twisting speed, whether handling the standard Rubik's Cube, navigating the asymmetric layers of the Square-1, or managing the extra layers of the big cubes.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest drew all 52 entrants through three rigorous rounds. When the final round wrapped, Evan Wright stood atop the podium with a winning average of 7.78 seconds, backed by a best single of 6.55. Braden Richards secured the runner-up spot with an 8.08 average, while Benjamin Pugh claimed third place averaging 8.84. Pugh had set the benchmark for outright speed earlier in the event with a blazing 5.44 single, headlining the official 3x3 results from the weekend.

Wright established complete control over the multi-event program by taking top honors across three separate categories at Washtenaw Winter 2024. In the 5x5x5 Cube, where 30 competitors tackled the big cube across two rounds, Wright captured first place with an average of 1:07.03 and a tournament-best single of 59.33. Benjamin Pugh finished a fraction behind with a 1:07.06 average to take second, while Braden Richards placed third with 1:07.15 in one of the tightest podium finishes of the day.

The variety extended directly to the shape-shifting Square-1, an event known for its changing geometry and distinct alignment mechanics. Wright took his third victory of the day with an 8.24 average, punctuated by a best single of 6.18 across the three rounds of play. Dominic Cater pushed hard to earn the second spot on the podium with an average of 8.79, while Caleb Lalik finished third with an average of 14.29 to round out the top tier.

Beyond the podium battles, the floor at Washtenaw Winter 2024 served as a proving ground where solvers achieved massive personal leaps and expanded into unfamiliar disciplines. Stav Shani entered four events and delivered a standout Pyraminx personal best of 4.98 seconds, an improvement of 74.4 percent over their prior mark, while also recording their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 49.45 and a first 5x5x5 Cube mark of 3:02.09. Owen Wallenwine took on five events, earning 16th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a debut single of 24.31, attempting Square-1 for the first time at 37.44, and chopping 63.8 percent off their Pyraminx best down to 4.13. Nicholas Swendsen secured 12th in Pyraminx with a personal best of 4.87, down 62.7 percent, alongside a 3x3x3 Cube best of 15.07 and a first one-handed attempt of 44.22. Eliott Warren entered three events, registering a first one-handed single of 48.61 for 20th place and trimming 55.4 percent from their Pyraminx record to reach 5.01.

The progress continued across the scorecards as more competitors seized the opportunity at this WCA competition. Kurt Swendsen produced a massive milestone in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a personal best of 1:05.85 that was 82.8 percent faster than their previous mark. Malek Ettaher tackled three events, logging a first one-handed attempt of 57.42 while setting personal records of 9.52 in Pyraminx and 16.22 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Grant Bruns took on four events and reached sixth place in Square-1 with a personal best of 9.19 seconds, improving by 44.8 percent, while also setting new marks of 3.26 in Pyraminx and 1:26.83 in 5x5x5. Owen Hale completed three events, lowering their Pyraminx personal best by 47.8 percent to 6.08 and achieving a 3x3x3 Cube best of 20.33.

Specialized disciplines brought further drama to the stage during the afternoon sessions. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Benjamin Pugh delivered the winning performance, averaging 13.36 seconds and logging the best single at 12.13. Evan Wright took second place with a 16.12 average, followed closely by Braden Richards in third with 16.33. The Pyraminx bracket featured 44 competitors across three fast-paced rounds, where Justin Sui clinched the victory with a 3.14 average and a 2.62 single, edging out Quinn Lawson at 3.36 and Wright at 3.38.

The action at Washtenaw Winter 2024 wrapped up after a full display of speed cubing excellence across five distinct puzzle formats. The host nation accounted for all 15 podium places across the five events, reflecting high-caliber execution throughout the Morris J. Lawrence Building. Solvers packed their cube bags with hard-earned personal records, closing out a memorable cubing competition in Ypsilanti.