Agoura SpookCubing 2023

Elijah Brown delivered an extraordinary all-around performance on October 28, 2023, capturing three podium placements across all three events contested at Lindero Canyon Middle School. The centerpiece of the tournament was the classic Rubik's Cube, where Brown secured victory with a decisive winning average of 7.71 seconds. Across three hard-fought rounds featuring 94 competitors, Brown proved entirely untouchable at the top of the standings, also posting the tournament's fastest single solve at 7.14 seconds.

The 2023 edition of Agoura SpookCubing 2023 brought together 95 competitors in Agoura Hills, California, USA, for a packed single-day speedcubing program comprising 7 total rounds. Speed cubing enthusiasts from across the region gathered to contest the 3x3x3 Cube, Clock, and Pyraminx. While specialists made their presence felt throughout the tournament bracket, Brown managed to leave a permanent mark on every single podium presentation, collecting one gold, one silver, and one bronze across the day.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube final, Brown sealed the title ahead of runner-up Joel Kim, who recorded a solid 9.47 average, and third-place finisher Shane Grogan, who posted a 9.74 average. The 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable depth throughout the elimination stages, with a long list of competitors locking in key benchmark times. Aayush Manish Bathija stood out during the rounds by generating a blistering 7.37 single on his way to a fourth-place overall finish.

The triangular Pyraminx event drew 72 entrants across two fast rounds of play, culminating in a stellar winning display by Owen Yepeng Sun. Sun captured the title with a tournament-leading 2.45 average alongside a best single mark of 1.92 seconds. Brown challenged closely for the top spot, earning second place with an average of 3.04 seconds, while Daxton Westlake rounded out the podium in third with an average of 3.08 seconds.

The mechanical Clock puzzle served as another platform for fierce competition among 53 participants. Drake Denton Richard claimed the championship with an impressive 5.62 winning average and the best single solve of the event at 4.31 seconds. Owen Yepeng Sun took second place with a 6.27 average, while Brown secured his third medal of Agoura SpookCubing 2023 by taking third place with an average of 7.55 seconds.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable individual milestones throughout the day. David Dean entered two events and sliced his personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube down to 21.98 seconds, an improvement of 56.2 percent over his previous 50.15 mark, while also logging an 11.52 in his first official attempt at Pyraminx. Justin Rhee achieved a 51 percent drop in Pyraminx to set a new personal record of 6.43 seconds, and Samuele Pedrocchi took on three events and lowered his Clock mark by 48.8 percent down to 12.30 seconds. Bradley Hull tackled three events, registering a 21 percent improvement to 22.09 in the 3x3x3 Cube alongside debut marks of 10.19 in Pyraminx and 19.32 in Clock.

The spirit of this cubing competition was equally evident among those discovering brand new challenges on the official stage. Felix Kurlat posted a personal best of 19.76 in the 3x3x3 Cube and logged inaugural attempts of 11.82 in Pyraminx and 37.69 in Clock. Maria Schohl cut her 3x3x3 Cube best by 33.3 percent down to 28.56 seconds while delivering a debut Clock result of 28.96. In their very first WCA competition, Troy Sanchez took on all three disciplines to record 41.50 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 5.63 in Pyraminx, and 15.92 in Clock, while fellow newcomer Jude Wechsler completed the trio with 37.62, 16.07, and 42.15 seconds respectively.

The United States and China split the top honours across the day, with American competitors collecting seven podium finishes while China earned two through Sun's dual-event showing. The well-rounded schedule gave both seasoned racers and new talents a stage to test their practice under strict tournament conditions. Agoura SpookCubing 2023 concluded as a showcase of versatility, anchored by Brown's consistent speed across every puzzle format offered in Agoura Hills.