Waukesha's Equinox 2024

A blistering 16.73 second average in 3x3x3 Blindfolded by Stanley Chapel stood out as the defining mark of the weekend, setting the tone for a tournament that celebrated the wider universe of twisty puzzles. Held at Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA on September 21, 2024, the gathering brought together 18 dedicated competitors across 11 rounds of intense action. While a standard Rubik's Cube contest often centers on familiar two-handed sprints, this particular speedcubing meet deliberately ventured into distinct disciplines that tested memory, non-cubic geometry, and multi-layered complexity across six diverse events.

The range of formats gave the entire cubing competition an unusual flavor, putting specialized problem-solving skills on display throughout the single-day schedule. Instead of conventional 3x3 results dominating the floor, solvers engaged with twelve-sided shapes, irregular geometric slice cuts, and immense memory marathons. The varied slate rewarded versatility and deep technical mastery, proving that the broader world of speed cubing extends well beyond standard hardware into profound tests of mental endurance and dexterity.

In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, Chapel claimed victory across two rounds with his 16.73 winning average, highlighted by a rapid 15.76 best single. Thomas Reinke took second place on the podium with a 36.68 average, while Simon Kellum locked in third place with a time of 1:02.97. The event challenged 15 competitors to inspect, memorize, and execute their solves under a blindfold, where precise spatial recall is mandatory.

Thomas Reinke delivered a commanding showing across the big blindfolded disciplines, capturing first place in both 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded. Reinke secured the 4x4x4 Blindfolded title among 10 competitors with a best single of 4:31.94, finishing ahead of runner-up Carter Kucala at 5:21.87 and third-place János Csontos at 5:48.48. In the 5x5x5 Blindfolded bracket, Reinke topped the field of 8 with a 10:42.00 single, while Aaron Soley took second in 22:32.00 and Luke Selle took third in 25:32.00.

The memory challenges culminated in the grueling 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, where Carter Kucala earned victory among 12 entrants by successfully solving 30 out of 33 cubes in 59:48. Reinke followed in second place with 24 out of 32 cubes solved in 57:28, and Csontos completed the podium in third place with 16 out of 20 cubes in 54:27. Navigating dozens of memorized permutations under a strict one-hour time limit demanded extraordinary focus.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors logged significant personal breakthroughs across the schedule. Louis Funk tackled five events, achieving a personal best of 1:59.88 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded that was 38.5 percent faster than his prior mark, alongside a 21 percent improvement in Megaminx at 46.11, a seventh-place finish, and a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 27:19.00. Amanda Sugiharto contested two events, posting a 38 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 1:34.41 to finish tenth, while also logging a first ever attempt at Square-1 in 25.46. Lucas Lippman-Bruno took on six events and earned fourth in Square-1, setting a 4x4x4 Blindfolded personal best of 8:30.88 that was 31.1 percent faster, a 3x3x3 Blindfolded best of 1:09.24 that was 16 percent faster, and a Square-1 single of 5.54 that was 7.5 percent faster. Akshay Bharadwaj entered three events, taking sixth in Square-1 with a personal best of 10.13, improving by 12.1 percent.

Other solvers likewise made their presence felt across different puzzle categories. Micah Krenz took on two events, placing ninth in Megaminx and recording a first ever attempt at Square-1 with a mark of 20.12. Adam Schwenn completed two events, logging a Megaminx personal best of 1:35.23, an improvement of 7.9 percent over his previous record. Ezra Lauritzson entered five events, claiming sixth place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a perfect 3 out of 3 cubes in 20:19, while cutting 5.5 percent off his Megaminx personal best at 1:11.11. Sebastian Carrillo took on four events across the day, earning a fifth-place finish in Square-1 to round out a productive outing for the field.

The remaining rotation of events at Waukesha's Equinox 2024 brought fast-paced mechanical puzzles to the arena. In Megaminx, Zeke Mackay captured the title across three rounds with a winning average of 39.37 and a best single of 34.58 against 16 entrants, leading Austin Worley at 41.63 and Brian Johnson at 48.62. Johnson then secured victory in Square-1, prevailing through three rounds with an average of 6.75 and a best single of 5.82 in an 18-person field, followed by Mackay in second at 8.75 and Chapel in third at 8.99.

Every podium position across all six events went to competitors representing the United States, concluding a tightly contested WCA competition. With its focused lineup of non-standard formats, the single-day gathering provided an engaging showcase of the diverse skills that define modern competitive cubing.