Berkeley Winter A 2023

Paul Mahvi delivered the defining performance of the day at Berkeley Winter A 2023, capturing the 5x5x5 Cube title with a decisive 53.03 winning average in the final round. Taming the big puzzle demanded sustained technical focus and physical endurance over every turn, highlighted by Mahvi producing a 51.77 best single. The contest came down to fractions of a second against Varun Mohanraj, who secured second place with an average of 53.88. Nathaniel Timothy Sunil of Ireland rounded out the podium in third with a time of 58.62, concluding a fierce two-round battle among 44 competitors in the West Pauley Ballroom.

The 5x5x5 Cube test set the stage for an intense single-day cubing competition in Berkeley, California, USA, held on January 21, 2023. A total of 133 competitors gathered to contest 13 rounds across 5 events under the banner of the World Cube Association. Big-cube solvers embraced the deep focus required to handle complex center building and edge pairing, proving that high-order puzzle execution remains one of the purest showcases of pure stamina in modern speedcubing.

The flagship Rubik's Cube division brought its own drama across 4 rounds of play featuring 131 entrants. Varun Mohanraj claimed the ultimate prize in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a standout 7.23 average alongside the competition best single of 5.20. Paul Mahvi followed in second place with an 8.50 average, while Nathaniel Timothy Sunil took third with an 8.56 mark. The 3x3 results reflected deep talent throughout the rounds, where Seongjun Kang from Korea logged a 6.79 single and an 8.74 average, while Damian Piech posted an 11.79 single and a 14.36 average.

Elijah Brown demonstrated exceptional speed across multiple stages at Berkeley Winter A 2023, highlighted by a dominant victory in the Pyraminx final. Brown swept through three rounds to take first place among 98 competitors with a 2.05 average and a 1.93 single. Tyler Howlett finished as runner-up with a 2.61 average, while Mohanraj added another podium to his ledger by taking third place with 3.63. Brown continued that momentum into Skewb, claiming the second step on the podium with a 4.87 average.

Skewb gold belonged to Seongjun Kang, who topped a field of 78 competitors across two rounds with an elite 4.64 winning average and a 3.93 best single. Mitchell Lane took third place with a 5.01 average behind Brown. Meanwhile, Clock action featured 55 competitors over two rounds, where Jaidon Poraminthara Lin took victory with a 6.56 average and a 5.63 single. Evan Millsap finished second with 7.19, and Mahvi claimed third with 7.44, completing an impressive multi-discipline weekend across the tournament floor.

Beyond the championship podiums, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule at this WCA competition. Jack Lessard took on 4 events and delivered massive personal bests, dropping his Clock mark to 14.86, which was 67.9% faster than his previous standard, while also improving his Pyraminx time by 37.4% to 4.15 and his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 9% to 28.30. Theo Felixs Domeni De Goes competed in 4 events, slashing his Clock personal best to 32.12 to register a 49.6% improvement, alongside first-ever official attempts at Pyraminx in 12.05 and Skewb in 17.56. Moran Grinstein lowered their Pyraminx best by 43.1% to 3.23, improved their 3x3x3 time by 29.1% to 14.34, and completed their first Skewb attempt with 10.33.

Other dedicated solvers marked great strides while expanding their competition profiles at Berkeley Winter A 2023. Jackson Bakun took on 4 events, trimming 42.1% off their 3x3x3 Cube best with a 31.89 while logging first attempts in Pyraminx at 8.96 and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:57.31. Natalie To recorded a 40.8% drop on Pyraminx down to 5.16, logged a 3x3x3 Cube best of 15.62, and completed a debut 5x5x5 Cube attempt in 2:32.66. Fisher Tomlinson entered 3 events, cutting 36.6% off their 3x3x3 time to hit 12.87, lowering Skewb to 7.81, and trying Pyraminx for the first time with 7.10. Asa Wachowicz improved their Skewb mark by 35.3% to 7.63, while Rachael Seitz improved their 3x3x3 time by 24.4% to 35.71 and took initial official turns at Clock and Skewb.

Additional records and milestone marks highlighted the broad depth of the field throughout the day. Evan Millsap achieved a 12.52 single and a 15.51 average on the 3x3x3 Cube, Brian Lai registered an 11.53 single and 12.54 average, Daniel Cho delivered a 13.17 single and 18.49 average, Owen McMurtrie recorded a 15.23 single and 18.81 average, Jordan Sun posted an 18.03 single and 22.39 average, and Sophie Jose completed a 52.13 single and 1:02.49 average. The podium finishes represented international variety, with United States competitors capturing 12 podium spots, Ireland securing 2, and Korea earning 1.

The successful conclusion of Berkeley Winter A 2023 celebrated both elite sprint mastery and the heavy tactical endurance required by larger puzzles. From the long, calculated solves of the 5x5x5 Cube to the instant reactions demanded by shorter formats, competitors across the West Pauley Ballroom demonstrated the dedication that drives the community forward. As another high-energy chapter of speed cubing wraps up in Northern California, participants look ahead with fresh personal milestones established for the season.