Battle at Fort Hays Kansas 2023

Fifty-three competitors assembled as the late-summer calendar turned to September 9, 2023, bringing a packed schedule of speedcubing action to Cunningham Hall. The Battle at Fort Hays Kansas 2023 marked an energetic stop in the region as solvers aimed to make their mark before the autumn stretch. With six events and fourteen rounds on the docket, the single-day WCA competition provided an intense test of consistency and raw turning speed across every bracket.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 51 competitors through three full rounds of head-to-head racing on the classic Rubik's Cube. Aaron Huynh controlled the proceedings from the front, claiming victory with a 5.63 winning average and delivering the day's best single solve at 4.57 seconds. Ellery Dillon secured second place with an average of 8.48 seconds, while Jake Maddox took third with an average of 9.25 seconds, cementing a competitive podium in the 3x3 results.

Aaron Huynh was not done with a single title at the Battle at Fort Hays Kansas 2023, returning to the stage to claim top honours in Pyraminx. Huynh posted a winning average of 3.54 seconds alongside a sharp 2.00 single across two rounds of play. Jake Maddox followed closely behind to claim the silver medal with a 4.91 average, just edging out Ellery Dillon, who collected bronze with an average of 4.94 seconds.

Short-format sprinting took center stage in the 2x2x2 Cube, which featured 49 entrants and three fast-paced rounds. Jake Maddox captured the title with a 2.50 winning average after registering a 1.99 best single in the finals. Aaron Huynh placed second with a 3.36 average, while Ellery Dillon earned third with 3.48 seconds. Across the rounds, Maddox recorded a 1.59 single and a 1.95 average, Dillon notched a 1.42 single and a 2.16 average, and Huynh turned in a 2.51 single and a 3.55 average.

Beyond the podium battles, the floor in Hays, Kansas, USA buzzed with milestones that the podium summaries often overlook. Anderson Meyers produced a major leap in Pyraminx, cutting their personal best by 60.5 percent down to 13.30 seconds, while also logging a first career Clock attempt of 28.97. Lucas Jolly slashed their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 49.5 percent to 4.40 seconds, added a 42.23 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube, and logged a first Pyraminx solve of 19.95. Selena Wiechman tackled five events, recording a first 5x5x5 Cube mark of 2:48.78, a debut Clock mark of 27.11, and a 51.40 personal best on Square-1, improving by 27.8 percent. Benjamin Cherry dropped their 2x2x2 Cube standard by 37.8 percent to 7.05 seconds, alongside debut attempts of 9.42 in Pyraminx and 45.89 in Clock.

The breakthrough energy continued with Shawn Doyle taking on six events, improving their Clock best by 34.2 percent to 19.78 seconds and trimming their 3x3x3 Cube best by 14 percent to 19.90. Luke Johnson logged personal bests of 15.45 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 12.38 in Pyraminx while making a Clock debut with 46.37. Ryker Barrett posted a 1:58.39 in 5x5x5 Cube to improve by 39.6 percent, notched a 4.94 personal best in Pyraminx, and finished fifth in Square-1. Fresh faces also stepped onto the stage for their very first cubing competition, including Isaiah Robl, who opened their career across four disciplines with a 19.49 single on the 3x3x3 Cube and a 6.32 on the 2x2x2 Cube.

In the specialty categories at the Battle at Fort Hays Kansas 2023, Ben Tibbetts put together a standout performance across two distinct puzzles. Tibbetts captured first place in Clock with a 5.99 winning average and a 5.49 single, leading Orrin Simpkins at 7.67 and Isaac Lindsey at 8.17. Tibbetts doubled up by winning Square-1 with a 14.25 average and a 12.37 single, staying clear of Jake Maddox at 19.22 and Lydia Workman at 21.23.

The big-cube contest belonged to Lydia Workman, who conquered the 5x5x5 Cube field of 24 competitors across two rounds. Workman secured gold with an average of 1:05.21 and a best single solve of 1:01.69. Aaron Huynh placed second with an average of 1:09.99, while Isaac Lindsey rounded out the top three with an average of 1:26.49 to conclude the slate of heavy hardware events.

As the final timers were packed away, the Battle at Fort Hays Kansas 2023 stood as a vibrant celebration of regional speed cubing talent. Solvers from across the area delivered sharp performances across six varied events, establishing personal bests and championship marks that set a high competitive standard for the rest of the 2023 campaign.