Belfast Winter 2023

A blistering 1.94 winning average by Kalin Doherty in the 2x2x2 Cube set the tone for an electric weekend of high-speed action in Northern Ireland. Staged across January 14 to January 15, Belfast Winter 2023 welcomed 138 competitors to the Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre. Speedcubing enthusiasts gathered in Belfast, County Antrim, United Kingdom to test their dexterity across 10 official events and 21 competitive rounds, bringing world-class turning to the opening phase of the 2023 calendar.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 131 entrants through three intense stages of elimination. Steven Kearns proved unbeatable across the final five solves, securing the title with a commanding 9.07 average and posting a best single of 8.18. Cillian Hainbach took second place on the podium with a 9.28 mark, while Enda Loftus followed closely behind in third with a 9.44 result. These standout 3x3 results anchored a weekend of fierce head-to-head racing on the classic Rubik's Cube.

The 2x2x2 Cube competition proved just as competitive, featuring a packed field of 111 participants. Doherty navigated all three rounds to claim victory, punctuated by a best single solve of 1.27 alongside the sub-two-second winning average. The sprint discipline provided non-stop intensity from the opening heats to the final showdown, confirming that the rapid pace of modern speed cubing remains one of the greatest draws on the circuit.

Beyond the shortest formats, multi-layered puzzles delivered tactical battles across the schedule. Matthew Lowe led the 4x4x4 Cube after two rounds, taking the crown with a 33.69 average and an event-best 31.76 single. Kearns earned the runner-up spot with 36.68, while Max Kwok U Sam reached third place with 39.89. Kearns returned to the top step in the 5x5x5 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:12.47 and a single of 1:11.52 to fend off James Tyrrell and Kwok U Sam.

Enda Loftus emerged as another standout champion at Belfast Winter 2023, capturing two distinct titles. Loftus swept through three rounds of the Pyraminx to take the win with a 2.22 average, finishing ahead of Hainbach and Rían Burke. Loftus also conquered the dodecahedral Megaminx in a single-round final, winning in 1:02.40 with a best single of 53.80. Burke earned his own moment at the top in Skewb, taking first place with a 3.68 average ahead of Loftus and William Carey.

Away from the main podium battles, the floor of the Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre saw remarkable milestones from competitors across the field. Aisling Lennon delivered massive progress, slicing her Skewb personal best down by 75.4 percent to 4.36 and trimming her Pyraminx best by 60.2 percent to 6.10 across an eight-event weekend. Julia Hurley took on seven disciplines, setting a Skewb personal best of 7.61, which was 50.7 percent faster than before, alongside maiden attempts in 5x5x5 Cube and Megaminx. Abi Sweetlove reached 24th place in 4x4x4 Cube while cutting her 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 50.3 percent to 2.61. Tykhon Pererva tackled eight events, setting a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 2.29 and making a first official attempt in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 46.10.

The momentum continued as Benas Navickas recorded a 3.34 single on 2x2x2 Cube, a 55.9 percent improvement, while making a first attempt at Clock in 16.47. Charlie Maxwell logged a Clock personal best of 19.48, which was 23.7 percent faster than previous marks, and completed a debut 3x3x3 One-Handed solve in 56.06. Deasúin Kenny improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 47 percent to 28.97 and completed his first Megaminx solve in 2:58.21. Jack Leger took on five events, posting maiden marks of 1:56.16 in 4x4x4 Cube and 9.01 in Pyraminx to round out a productive showing at the cubing competition.

Specialist categories added further depth to the programme. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Max Kwok U Sam secured the gold medal with an 18.09 average, holding off Adam Devere and Scott Froggatt. Seán O'Toole navigated the Clock event to win with a 6.08 average, besting Namuun Natsagdorj and Burke. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Jonathan Dammann conquered the memory challenge, posting a winning single solve of 41.32 to lead Kearns and Devere onto the podium.

With Ireland capturing 16 podium places and the United Kingdom claiming 9, Belfast Winter 2023 proved to be a vibrant gathering of regional and international talent. From lightning-fast sprints on smaller cubes to the calculated precision of larger puzzles, the WCA competition highlighted the dedication and depth of the community as another successful weekend drew to a close.