AlphaCubing A 2023

Inside the event spaces at the Hilton Alpharetta Atlanta, tables were lined with precision timers, display mats, and stacks of varied puzzles as competitors settled into a full day of action on May 6, 2023. A total of 77 solvers gathered for AlphaCubing A 2023, turning their focus to a packed schedule of six distinct disciplines and thirteen total rounds. The gathering brought together seasoned contenders and newcomers alike under the governing standards of a formal WCA competition, creating an intense atmosphere across every table from the opening solves of the morning to the decisive finals.

The story of the weekend was the overwhelming performance of competitors representing the United States, who claimed sixteen out of the eighteen available podium positions across the tournament. Solvers from the host nation controlled the top three spots in four separate disciplines, leaving only two podium places across the entire weekend to international representation. In an intensive single-day cubing competition, domestic speedcubers proved remarkably consistent across varied hardware formats, from standard twisty puzzles to complex multi-layered challenges.

Dominic Redisi stood at the forefront of the American charge, securing two individual event victories and finishing on four separate podiums. Redisi claimed the flagship 3x3x3 Cube title, navigating three intense rounds among 77 competitors to post a winning average of 6.29 seconds alongside the best single solve of the event at 5.22 seconds. In the final, he outpaced fellow American Nicolás Sánchez, who took second with an average of 7.09, and AJ Kamal, who secured third at 7.96. The 3x3 results firmly established Redisi at the top of the main event field.

Redisi added a second gold medal in Skewb, topping a field of 53 competitors across two rounds with a winning average of 2.80 seconds and an event-best single of 1.40. Lorenzo Layug of the Philippines disrupted the domestic sweep by securing second place with an average of 4.02, narrowly edging Kamal, who collected another third-place finish with a 4.04 average. Redisi would also pick up bronze medals in Megaminx and Square-1, highlighting remarkable multi-event versatility throughout the day.

The 4x4x4 Cube contest delivered a thrilling duel at the top, where Nicolás Sánchez captured the title over 50 other entrants. Sánchez logged a winning average of 30.49 seconds and a tournament-best single solve of 25.73 seconds, leading another clean sweep for the United States. Redisi followed closely in second place with an average of 31.48, while Jared Stinson took third with a 32.24 mark. The speed cubing across the larger four-layer puzzle proved exceptionally tight across the two rounds of competition.

Jared Stinson claimed his own victory in the Megaminx division, navigating two rounds to post an event-winning average of 37.35 seconds and a single solve of 34.86 against 30 other challengers. Kamal earned second place with an average of 40.31, while Redisi rounded out the top three at 54.46. In Square-1, Matthew Remington led the standings with a gold-medal average of 11.49 seconds, holding off Lorenzo Layug of the Philippines in second at 12.57 and Redisi in third at 12.67. Raymond Goslow secured the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown, using precise memorisation to register a winning single time of 1:08.15, ahead of Kamal at 1:17.91 and Stinson at 1:44.61.

Beyond the championship finals, the heart of the tournament showed in the immense personal milestones recorded throughout the venue. Solomon Fraga produced one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the day, cutting his Square-1 personal best to 13.52 seconds, an improvement of 63.8 percent from his prior mark of 37.35, while also earning a fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 2:08.30. Oliver Crook delivered a massive 47.7 percent drop in his 3x3x3 Cube personal best, lowering his time from 16.52 down to 8.64 seconds, while also completing his first ever attempts at Megaminx in 1:40.27 and Square-1 in 38.39. Hunter Carles shaved 39.6 percent off his classic Rubik's Cube mark down to 14.57 seconds, and Landon Tran dropped his Skewb personal best by 25.6 percent to 8.74 seconds.

The spirit of learning new disciplines and making competitive debuts was equally vibrant. Ethan Seifried Jr. logged a major 42.4 percent improvement in the 4x4x4 Cube with a personal best of 1:09.56, while also recording his first ever attempt at Megaminx in 2:54.72. Ayaan Saxena achieved a personal best of 14.31 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube, secured a 16th-place finish in Skewb with a first attempt time of 4.75, and posted an initial Square-1 result of 22.57. Lucas Liwosz earned seventh place in Megaminx behind a first attempt time of 1:06.22, while first-time tournament participant Nathanael George Waggoner entered six distinct events, establishing initial competitive marks of 14.12 on the 3x3x3 Cube, 13.28 in Skewb, and 1:27.65 in Square-1.

As the equipment was packed away in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA, the single-day showcase stood as a testament to the thriving local and regional speedcubing community in 2023. From the commanding sixteen podium finishes by domestic competitors to the quiet breakthroughs of solvers discovering new events for the first time, AlphaCubing A 2023 offered a complete view of competitive solve mastery and personal progress across the tables.