Appleby Summer B 2023

A blistering 0.60-second national record single by Arhaan Sareen in the 2x2x2 Cube set the tone for Appleby Summer B 2023, showcasing the immense quality demanded to succeed on the day. Held on August 13, 2023, at the Appleby College A.W.B. Alumni Centre for Athletics and Student Life, the one-day gathering drew 124 competitors to Oakville, Ontario, Canada. With five events and eight packed rounds, the sheer depth of the field meant that simply advancing past the opening heats required top-tier precision and composure across every discipline.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive lineup of 122 competitors, making the fight for a podium spot exceptionally tight. Matthew Lee emerged victorious after two intense rounds, capturing the title with an average of 7.25 seconds and delivering the event's best single of 5.47. India's Nikhil Soares pushed Lee to the absolute brink in the final, finishing just two hundredths of a second behind with a 7.27 average. Sareen secured third place with an average of 7.93, putting a stamp on a fiercely contested set of 3x3 results.

Matthew Lee was back at the top in the Square-1 event, where 32 competitors vied for supremacy in a direct single-round battle. Lee claimed the gold with a 9.14 winning average, anchored by a best single of 6.91 seconds. Sareen took the silver medal with a 12.45 average, while Jensen Belen-Brown locked up the final podium spot with a 13.55 average. Lee's mastery of the shape-shifting puzzle demonstrated his wide versatility across different solving styles during the high-pressure afternoon sessions.

The 2x2x2 Cube tournament saw 100 competitors take to the tables, turning the two rounds into a rapid-fire showcase of speedcubing skill. Nicholas Patterson earned the gold medal with a lightning-quick winning average of 1.64 seconds, bolstered by a 1.45 best single in the final. Sareen followed closely behind in second with a 1.72 average, having already delivered his standout 0.60 Canadian national record single earlier in the event. Lee took the bronze with an average of 2.01, completing an extraordinary podium sweep for Canadian competitors.

In the 5x5x5 Cube, Sareen captured a well-deserved gold, navigating through 48 competitors over two rounds to finish with a winning average of 50.94 seconds and a top single of 48.46. Lee earned another podium appearance by taking second place with a 1:01.52 average, edging out Jonathan Esparaz, who claimed third in 1:01.99. Meanwhile, the Megaminx event featured 38 competitors tackling the twelve-sided dodecahedron. Nikhil Soares triumphed with an impressive average of 37.21 seconds and a 35.47 single, finishing ahead of Lee in second at 40.78 and Sareen in third at 44.51.

Behind the top podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule. Akaash Kundan Singh took on three events and delivered a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 2.35 seconds, an improvement of 61.9 percent, while also recording a first ever attempt in Megaminx of 3:40.39 and a 3x3x3 Cube best of 17.88. Aaron Kuan showed massive progression by dropping his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 58.2 percent down to 7.80 seconds, alongside a 26.7 percent improvement on 3x3x3 Cube to 31.51. Aliyas Pawlak entered three events, logging a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 4:09.97 while slicing 55.2 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark to reach 4.76.

Keith Kornelson also made major strides, improving his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 49.1 percent down to 2.68 seconds to secure a best finish of 16th place, in addition to a first ever attempt at Square-1 of 1:05.89. Aariz Lalani registered a 46.2 percent improvement on 2x2x2 Cube with a 1.57 personal best, while Ibrahim Khan took on three events, achieving a best finish of 26th in Square-1 with a first ever attempt of 59.70 and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube time by 36.8 percent to 16.47. Tyler Sadites tackled five events, recording first ever attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 3.70, Megaminx at 2:39.63, and Square-1 at 16.90 for a 10th-place finish. Ethan Zhu also completed five events, securing 11th in Square-1 with a debut 18.46 and taking 27.1 percent off his Megaminx mark to finish in 3:00.29.

The full slate of competition at Appleby Summer B 2023 highlighted both the elite capability of seasoned podium contenders and the rapid growth of the wider community. Out of 15 total podium positions available across the five events, competitors representing Canada secured 13 spots, while India captured two through Soares. Whether pushing for national marks on the classic Rubik's Cube or establishing personal milestones in specialized events, this WCA competition demonstrated the depth, dedication, and talent flourishing across the speed cubing landscape as another memorable weekend drew to a close.