Appleby Fall A 2023

A total of 124 competitors converged on the Appleby College A.W.B. Alumni Centre for Athletics and Student Life on September 23, 2023, setting the stage for a high-stakes regional showdown. Taking place in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, the event brought together seasoned domestic speedcubing standouts and international contenders ready to challenge local supremacy across eight rounds. With five events on the schedule, the tension between regional pride and traveling talent surfaced immediately on the competition floor, driving intense head-to-head racing from the opening heats to the late afternoon finals.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest stood at the center of the regional battle. Domestic ace Jeriel James Thomas claimed the top step of the podium with a decisive 6.92 winning average, anchored by a best single of 6.13. Canadian compatriot Ryan Wu took second place with a 7.08 average, holding off China's Max Xiong, who captured third with an 8.03 mark. The premier Rubik's Cube division drew 124 competitors through two fiercely contested rounds, with the final 3x3 results showcasing Canadian depth as local finalists secured the top two positions on the podium.

Big cubes delivered another arena for inter-regional rivalry, where Omar Ellabban took control of the schedule for Canada. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Ellabban seized first place with a 28.83 average and a single of 26.45, edging out Jonathan Esparaz, who claimed second for Canada in 29.19. Max Xiong again challenged the Canadian contingent, placing third with a 30.36 average. Ellabban continued his mastery in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a 2:13.17 winning average and a 2:06.01 single to defeat Xiong, who took second with 2:18.50, while Ryan Wu secured third in 2:43.89.

Specialist disciplines expanded the battle lines beyond classic rotational solving. The Skewb event featured a strong showing from India's Paarth Arora, who claimed second place with a 4.18 average. However, Canadian talent Leo Min-Bedford sealed victory with a rapid 3.25 winning average and a 2.97 best single, while Nicholas Patterson took third in 4.60. Blindfolded solving, requiring rigorous memorisation before executing moves without sight, saw Canada sweep the top spots. Kai Wen Yang earned the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a 52.14 average and a 42.03 single, leading Ryan Wu at 1:36.12 and Brandon Chu at 1:39.98.

Away from the podium race, numerous solvers delivered standout individual breakthroughs that defined the spirit of Appleby Fall A 2023. Zachary Hart took on four events, securing a 17th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging an 11.27 first attempt at Skewb, and cutting his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 53 percent to 1:14.55. Jayden Farui Li made a massive leap on the 3x3x3 Cube, lowering their mark to 21.01 for a 51.6 percent improvement. Raymond Zheng logged their first attempts at Skewb in 16.64 and 4x4x4 Cube in 2:30.66, while dropping their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 39.8 percent to 16.56.

The progress across the floor continued with Caleb Alonzo Martinez, who posted a fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 1:41.70 personal best, a 29.7 percent improvement, alongside first attempts at Skewb in 5.09 and 4x4x4 Cube in 1:02.45. Lucas Lau sliced 33.6 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 24.78 and took their first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:56.07. Carter Bayliss dropped their 4x4x4 Cube personal record by 23.4 percent to 1:27.44 and posted a first Skewb attempt of 11.14. Mike Qi recorded an eighth-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a first attempt of 2:21.58, alongside a 20 percent 3x3x3 Cube drop to 19.62. Osama AlSulaim tackled five events, finishing 14th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a first attempt of 3:28.87, and completed first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:19.16 and 7x7x7 Cube at 8:24.41.

The widespread personal bests throughout the schedule reinforced how rigorous preparation pays off in official speed cubing competition. Each round tested consistency under the pressure of timed judging, where seconds and milliseconds separated advancement from elimination. The depth of the Canadian roster proved formidable across both sprint rounds and long-form endurance events, countering strong international challenges at every turn.

By the conclusion of Appleby Fall A 2023, Canadian competitors captured 11 of the 15 available podium positions, while China claimed three and India took one. The gathering served as a prime example of a top-tier cubing competition, leaving participants with fresh benchmarks and valuable experience. As the 2023 calendar progresses toward future events, the regional rivalries forged in Oakville set a high standard for upcoming stages on the WCA competition circuit.