Professional speedcubers descend on Perth for Rubik’s World Cubing Association Oceanic Championships

Hundreds of the world’s sharpest minds are in Perth to flex their fingers at one of Australia’s largest speedcubing competitions.

Rubik’s World Cubing Association Oceanic Championships began at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, drawing a crowd of more than 300 competitors and 1000 spectators.

The four-day competition will feature 16 events, including blindfolded and one-handed solves.

Speedcubing Australia delegate Charlie van Ooran said competitors had come from more than 20 countries, making it the largest tournament of its kind ever to take place in Perth.

“It’s four days of competing and lots of other fun activities on the side,” he said.

“The winner will probably be looking at solving it in around six seconds, but we’ll definitely be seeing some four or five-second solves sprinkled across the weekend as well.”

Contestant Jodie Brewster holds the title for Australia’s fastest speedcuber — a staggering time of 3.88 seconds — and said he started the sport out of “jealousy” when he was 11 years old.

“I was on a bus at the time and there was a guy that could solve it next to me, and I got really jealous and went home and learned how to solve,” the 20-year-old told The West.

“I caught the bug and just spent every day after school practising it for hours on end until I was the fastest.”

Mr Brewster said the sport had taken him to South Korea, China and “just about every State in Australia”, adding the secret to speed-cubing was “practice and dedication”.

“At my peak I was probably practising for three to four hours a day ... but I’m not going to beat my record this weekend unfortunately, so anything under five seconds would be great,” he said.

“It takes lots of practice and dedication ... it’s all about getting to that stage where the solve is autonomous.”

At just 11, Hope Boxell is one of the tournament’s youngest competitors.

The Byford local said she had been hooked since receiving her first Rubik’s Cube for her ninth birthday.

“I was watching a lot of TV ... and I realised a lot of the ads mentioned Rubik’s Cubes, and I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be clever if I learnt to solve it’,” she said.

“My first record was 40 seconds with a really bad, stiff (cube), and then once I got my first good cube I started to get PBs.”

She holds a PB of around 16 seconds and said she was “nervous but excited” for the tournament.

“Every time someone competes, people want to set a PB, or they’re like, ‘I really want to get on that podium and win a trophy’,” she said.

“I’m nervous because I’m not sure if I’m going to get a good time or if I’m going to get into the second round, but I’m also excited because I could set a new PB.”