Winnipeg Big & Blind 2024

Seventeen competitors gathered on November 23, 2024, at the East Elmwood Community Centre for a focused day of high-level puzzle solving. Winnipeg Big & Blind 2024 brought together dedicated solvers from across Canada, the United States, and Korea, with international travelers making the long journey to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to test their mastery over specialized disciplines. With five niche events on the schedule spanning large cubes and memory-intensive blindfolded categories, the single-day gathering offered a showcase of endurance and technical skill.

The trip proved especially fruitful for American competitor Walker Welch, who put on a dominant display throughout the weekend. Welch secured victories in four of the five categories staged at the cubing competition, starting with an impressive run in the big cubes. Handling the larger hardware with precision, Welch captured first place in the 5x5x5 Cube with an average of 1:06.80, outpacing Canadian runner-up Raphael Fast who logged a 1:16.04 average. Deven Huard-Bernuy took third place with a 1:31.32 mark.

Welch continued to show exceptional command in the 7x7x7 Cube, recording a winning average of 2:56.42 and a best single of 2:47.30 to take the top spot. Shain Papalotl Longbehn of the United States claimed second place with a 5:01.87 average, while Fast earned another podium spot by taking third in 5:10.69. The demanding format of the large cubes tested stamina across each solve, setting a formidable standard for the rest of the day.

The blindfolded categories added another layer of complexity to the WCA competition schedule, requiring complete memorisation before executing moves without sight. Welch led the field in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, posting a winning single time of 1:56.06. Huard-Bernuy followed in second place with a time of 2:42.23, while Longbehn rounded out the podium in third with a 2:52.59 single. Competitors pushed their limits across the single round, with several solvers registering their attempts in the official 3x3 results database.

In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, solvers faced the ultimate memory test of recalling multiple scrambled puzzles simultaneously. Welch delivered a standout performance by successfully solving 10 out of 11 puzzles within a time of 57:25 to earn first place. Huard-Bernuy put together a strong run as well, securing second place by solving 7 out of 11 cubes in 52:44. The remaining entrants, Sean Thorsteinson, Mia Willow Pahl, Raphael Fast, and Longbehn, finished tied for third with unresolved attempts.

Behind the top podium spots, several competitors achieved meaningful milestones that highlighted the depth of the field at Winnipeg Big & Blind 2024. Evan Searcy delivered substantial drops in solve times, slicing 28.3 percent off his 5x5x5 Cube mark to reach a 1:52.69 personal best while also recording a 9.87 Clock personal best for a 5th-place finish. Jayden Berard improved dramatically on Clock, taking 30.6 percent off his previous benchmark with a new 15.53 personal best. Myles Wilcox dropped his 5x5x5 Cube best by 27.3 percent down to 1:50.86, lowered his Clock best to 17.79, and made his first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube with a time of 5:33.11 to finish 5th.

First-time event entries brought plenty of excitement to the venue floor as well. Jack Granger entered four events, posting a 5th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a first attempt of 3:45.47 alongside his first official attempts at 7x7x7 Cube in 6:03.21 and 5x5x5 Cube in 1:38.62. Emma Kemp achieved a Clock personal best of 8.61 to place 6th and completed her first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 7:57.64. Sungwon Moon made a first attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded to finish 4th with a 3:43.89 single. Lauren Charest made her first WCA competition appearance, taking on three events with first attempts of 16.25 on Clock and 2:52.58 on 5x5x5 Cube. Joe Zhang also attended his first WCA competition, tackling 5x5x5 Cube in 2:57.49 and 7x7x7 Cube in 9:33.10 for a 9th-place finish.

The Clock event provided a thrilling contest to round out the speedcubing action. Shain Papalotl Longbehn captured the title with a winning average of 7.37, edged just ahead of Welch who finished runner-up at 7.47. Huard-Bernuy earned third place with an 8.95 average. The tight contest showcased the quick reflexes and turning speed that make the puzzle a perennial favorite across competitive speed cubing circuits.

By the conclusion of Winnipeg Big & Blind 2024, the United States and Canada finished level in the overall medal count, claiming 9 podium places each. The single-day tournament demonstrated the enduring popularity of classic Rubik's Cube variants and blindfolded challenges alike, rewarding the international field that traveled to Manitoba for an intense test of concentration and dexterity.