Apollo Bay Cubing 2023

Inside the Apollo Bay Leisure Centre on the Victorian coast, 68 competitors gathered across May 13 to May 14 for two full days of high-stakes puzzle solving. Timers clicked rapidly across 15 separate rounds as participants engaged in everything from classic twisty puzzles to specialty formats. The seaside atmosphere provided the setting for Apollo Bay Cubing 2023, where local contenders and traveling solvers met across eight official disciplines. Tension built steadily around the main stage as the premier rounds progressed from initial heats down to the deciding finals.

The weekend evolved into an absolute showcase for Feliks Zemdegs, who collected four gold medals across the schedule. In the traditional 3x3x3 Cube, Zemdegs led the field of 68 entrants through three rounds of competition, ultimately sealing victory with an outstanding 6.47 winning average and a best single time of 6.03 seconds. Phoenix Patterson placed second in the premier Rubik's Cube final with a 7.30 average, while Jack Ronio Rivas took third place with a 10.06 average, rounding out an impressive set of 3x3 results at the top.

Zemdegs extended his dominance into the larger puzzles throughout the speedcubing schedule. In the 4x4x4 Cube, he captured first place with a 26.19 average and a fast 22.65 single, finishing ahead of Patterson who recorded a 35.95 average and Matthew Sieredzinski who took third in 43.12 seconds. The 5x5x5 Cube told a similar story, with Zemdegs securing gold with an average of 44.59 and a 41.13 single. Sieredzinski captured second place with a 1:07.24 average, while Patterson took third at 1:13.90, reinforcing Zemdegs' command across the big cube categories.

The 12-sided Megaminx event provided another gold for Zemdegs, who registered a winning average of 44.79 along with a 36.81 single. Patterson took the silver medal with a sub-minute average of 59.99, and Sieredzinski earned his third podium finish of the weekend with a 1:21.23 average for bronze. Across all four of his victories at Apollo Bay Cubing 2023, Zemdegs maintained clear separation from the rest of the field, setting a high standard throughout every round he entered in Apollo Bay, Victoria, Australia.

Phoenix Patterson mounted a powerful campaign of his own, walking away with three event victories. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Patterson claimed the top spot with a blistering 1.83 average, edging out Zemdegs who took second in 2.31 seconds, while Thomas Pierroz of Switzerland finished third with 3.37. Patterson followed with a triumph in the Pyraminx, logging a 2.61 average to defeat Miller Atkinson at 3.57 and Levi Benjamin Matara-Ng at 5.20. Patterson completed a triple-crown effort in Square-1, winning with an 8.68 average ahead of Alex Butera in 11.67 and China's Putian Ye in 13.35.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest tested pure memory and tactile precision, requiring solvers to memorize piece layouts before donning a blindfold. Aaron Spiller captured the title, taking victory with a best single solve of 1:29.32. Alex Butera claimed the runner-up spot with a time of 2:06.37, while Ryan Cairns secured the bronze with a 2:15.00 effort. The event concluded a diverse program that showcased Australia's depth across different styles of speed cubing, with Australian solvers claiming 22 of the 24 available podium spots.

Behind the top podium steps, numerous solvers achieved major breakthroughs during the cubing competition. Caleb Williams delivered a massive personal best in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.44 solve, improving his previous mark by 62.3 percent, while also logging a 3x3x3 personal best of 25.39. Justin Innes slashed 44.5 percent off his Pyraminx best to hit 7.93 seconds, alongside personal bests of 5.22 in 2x2x2 and 22.82 in 3x3x3. Curtis Williams dropped his 3x3x3 mark by 37.6 percent down to 41.91 seconds while making first ever attempts at 2x2x2 with 9.82 and Pyraminx with 13.66. David Clarke posted an 11.50 in 3x3x3, a 28 percent improvement, while trying 5x5x5 for the first time with 2:31.03 and Megaminx with 2:01.66.

The weekend also welcomed ambitious campaigns across multiple puzzle categories. Jemima Chippindall took on eight separate events at Apollo Bay Cubing 2023, highlighted by a 6th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded and first ever attempts at 4x4x4 in 1:37.23, Megaminx in 1:42.54, and Square-1 in 31.24. Jordan Carswell took on eight disciplines as well, earning 7th in 3x3x3, shaving 24 percent off his Pyraminx best with a 3.64, and making his first attempts at Square-1 in 30.82 and 5x5x5 in 2:00.30. Meanwhile, Pardhu Gopal Nutakki and Jeevan Chaggar completed their first WCA competition, with Nutakki taking on six events including a 7.81 on 2x2x2 and Chaggar tackling four events with a 28.63 on 3x3x3.

With 15 rounds completed across the 2023 weekend, the competition delivered standout moments across every level of participation. From dominant multi-event victories to crucial individual milestones, Apollo Bay Cubing 2023 demonstrated the continuing strength and energy within the regional solving community.