Aberdeen Autumn 2023

A blistering 21.81 average in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event set the benchmark at the Aberdeen Life Centre, as veteran competitor Jaye Sloan delivered a masterclass in sightless solving. Sloan paired that winning average with an exceptional 17.90 single, setting the tone for a commanding showing across the table. It launched an intense day of competition in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom, where 55 competitors gathered on November 4, 2023, to contest six distinct puzzle disciplines across 10 packed rounds.

The one-day WCA competition brought seasoned hands back to top form in style. Alisher Kurmash emerged on top in the traditional Rubik's Cube main event, leading the 53-competitor field through three rounds to capture the title with an 8.53 average. Kurmash also logged the quickest single of the tournament on the classic puzzle at 6.25 seconds. Johnny Morello Kerlaff pursued closely to finish second with a 9.15 average, while Macau speedcubing talent Max Kwok U Sam secured third place with 9.61.

Johnny Morello Kerlaff authored his own return to the top step in 3x3x3 One-Handed, demonstrating absolute technical control. Kerlaff logged a winning average of 16.20 and the best single of 12.76 among 29 entrants. Max Kwok U Sam claimed second with a 16.72 average, edging Kurmash who rounded out the podium at 18.15. Kerlaff carried that sharp form across puzzle sizes, confirming that experience remains an immense asset in pressure-packed final rounds.

That precision carried directly into the 2x2x2 Cube final, producing the tightest podium battle of the entire weekend. Kerlaff clinched victory with a 2.82 average, finishing just fractions ahead of Kurmash at 2.85 and Sloan at 2.86. In the preliminary rounds of the event, Kurmash dropped a 1.70 single alongside a 2.72 average, Sloan posted a 2.07 single and 2.33 average, and Kerlaff delivered a 2.28 single and 2.51 average, keeping the tournament desk busy registering standout numbers.

Sloan extended an already remarkable weekend by collecting two additional event victories. In Skewb, Sloan took first place across two rounds with a 4.42 winning average and a 2.44 single, finishing ahead of Sam Jones with 5.44 and Carmen Teo Bin Jie with 5.86. Sloan then topped the 41-competitor Pyraminx field with a 4.15 average and a 3.14 single, holding off Liam Stuart Ferreira who averaged 4.63 and Kurmash who took third with 5.74.

Away from the top of the standings, the speed cubing ranks produced massive individual strides throughout the day. Struan Lind delivered a massive breakthrough in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a personal best of 49.12 that was 61.2 percent faster than their previous mark of 2:06.60, alongside a 23.1 percent improvement in Skewb at 12.51. Craig McNulty entered four events and dropped their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 42.1 percent to 2.48, while shaving 16.7 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 12.46. Matthew MacLeod improved their 2x2x2 Cube best by 39.2 percent to 5.02 and took on their first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a 14.13 solve. Fred Whibley cut 37.8 percent from their 3x3x3 One-Handed time down to 22.68 and reached 9th place in Pyraminx.

First-time event entries and tournament debuts added further depth to the floor. Kai McLean made a first official attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 1:03.22 solve and improved their 2x2x2 Cube best by 29.2 percent to 5.26. Arran Thomson completed first-time official attempts in both Pyraminx at 13.63 and Skewb at 14.35, while cutting 19.1 percent from their 2x2x2 Cube time. Benjamin Sauerteig took on a first Skewb attempt with 16.08 and improved in Pyraminx to 11.05. Meanwhile, Parker Seivwright made a strong entrance in their first WCA competition, tackling five separate disciplines and logging a 27th place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded podium was completed by Marcel Borkowski, who earned second place with a 1:36.73 average, and AJ Nicholls, who locked up third place with a 2:21.35 mark. Across all six disciplines, competitors representing five different nations reached podium spots, led by the host nation with nine top-three finishes. As the final 3x3 results were posted to conclude Aberdeen Autumn 2023, the event stood as a compelling showcase of practiced veterans setting the standard while an energetic field pushed their personal marks higher.