A New Year in Hamilton 2023

Richard Yiheng Tao delivered the most striking result of the weekend in a dramatic 3x3x3 Cube final, posting a winning average of 7.33 seconds alongside a best single solve of 5.86. The decisive average edged out Adrien Auvray Matyn by a razor-thin margin of just one hundredth of a second, as Matyn concluded his final round with an average of 7.34. Alexander Vujcich earned third place on the podium with an average of 8.26. The thrilling contest headlined two days of high-intensity action that welcomed 111 competitors across nine disciplines and 27 rounds at Hillcrest High School.

The competition, titled A New Year in Hamilton 2023, took place on January 28 and 29 in Hamilton, New Zealand. Speedcubing enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the start of the 2023 calendar with an extensive slate of events. Across both days, the cubing competition served as a proving ground for both experienced competitors and rising talents eager to showcase significant technical refinement. From traditional puzzles to mechanical specialties, the weekend highlighted remarkable progress, personal milestones, and fierce speedcubing battles across every bracket.

Beyond his primary victory, Richard Yiheng Tao put together a dominant showing across multiple disciplines. In the 2x2x2 Cube, he topped an 88-competitor field by taking first place with a 2.03 average and a single of 1.81, finishing ahead of Elyas Eyou at 2.12 and Alexander Vujcich at 2.30. Tao also secured the Clock title with an average of 5.18 and a single of 4.29, leading Liam Wadek at 6.16 and Elyas Eyou at 6.55. Tao added another top-tier finish with second place in the 3x3x3 One-Handed event with an average of 14.86, demonstrating remarkable consistency in every round.

Adrien Auvray Matyn put together a versatile weekend of his own, collecting first-place trophies in two distinct events. Matyn captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown with a winning average of 14.34 and a best single of 11.27, leading Tao and Caleb Hall, who finished third with 16.31. Matyn also proved dominant in Square-1, securing victory with an average of 7.45 and a fastest single solve of 5.81 across three rounds of play. In addition to these triumphs, Matyn earned third place on the podium in both the 4x4x4 Cube and Skewb, cementing an exceptional multi-discipline campaign.

In the rotational side events, Elyas Eyou claimed a double victory with standout speed on both Pyraminx and Skewb. Eyou secured the Pyraminx title with a 2.22 average and a 1.44 single, outpacing Levi Eyou at 2.71 and Ashley Foster at 2.95. He followed that up by taking the Skewb championship with a 4.06 average, finishing ahead of Ashley Foster at 4.29 and Adrien Auvray Matyn at 4.82. Meanwhile, Angela Braganza took the 4x4x4 Cube title with an impressive 30.45 average, besting Alexander Vujcich at 33.23 and Matyn at 36.30. Vujcich rebounded in Megaminx, winning the event with a 34.68 average ahead of Brandon Harris at 37.58.

The depth of progress at this WCA competition was clearly visible in the extensive improvements recorded across the roster. Kate Marinkovich logged massive breakthroughs, cutting her 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 10.95, which was 59.4 percent faster than her previous mark, while also setting a 3x3x3 Cube best of 33.29 and a Pyraminx personal best of 13.82. Ryan Dyer showcased similar leaps, lowering his Skewb best to 5.90, an improvement of 56 percent, alongside an 18.59 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube. Thomas Pendergrast dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed single down to 32.52, cutting 52.3 percent off his prior time while also recording a 17.34 in Clock.

Other competitors took on brand-new territory and sharp personal drops. Darren Wan lowered his 2x2x2 Cube best to 3.30, a 52.2 percent improvement, and made his first official Pyraminx attempt with an 8.76. Antonio Li Ka Ming took on seven events, achieving a best finish of 9th place in the 2x2x2 Cube, posting his first official attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube at 50.79 and Square-1 at 13.36, and lowering his Skewb personal best to 4.32, which was 50.8 percent faster. Cole Bullen tackled all nine events, reducing his Clock best to 22.96, an improvement of 47.6 percent, while Taiga Kitamura logged his first 3x3x3 One-Handed solve at 1:43.10 and improved his 3x3x3 Cube single to 29.25. Johnson Kan entered six events, securing a first Pyraminx attempt of 7.39 and cutting his 2x2x2 Cube best to 2.91.

The 2x2x2 Cube event generated an extraordinary flurry of official personal records throughout the preliminary rounds. Solvers repeatedly reset their personal benchmarks, with Kaiden Ziegler delivering a single of 5.40 and an average of 6.15, Norman Ong posting a 5.95 single and 6.95 average, Kalvin Lum recording a 2.42 single and 3.83 average, and Elisha Webster achieving a 3.52 single and 4.64 average. Thomas Swarbrick logged a 3.04 single and 5.13 average, Caleb Hall registered a 3.65 single and 5.32 average, Hanson Xu turned in a 2.28 single and 5.36 average, Johnson Kan marked a 2.91 single and 5.36 average, Thomas Kilbey added a 4.04 single and 5.36 average, and Luke Heath-Edwards rounded out the wave with a 4.25 single and 5.71 average.

The classic Rubik's Cube stood out as the centerpiece of the entire weekend, engaging all 111 participants through four progressive stages of elimination. As the final 3x3 results confirmed Richard Yiheng Tao as the champion by the slimmest possible margin, the level of determination across the floor was evident. The gathering highlighted how speed cubing continues to flourish in the region, bringing solvers together to test their preparation on the official stage.

With 27 podium positions claimed entirely by domestic solvers, A New Year in Hamilton 2023 offered a comprehensive demonstration of local depth and individual dedication. From the opening scrambles on Saturday morning to the closing rounds on Sunday afternoon, the weekend set a high competitive standard for the rest of the year.