Big E Slice 2023

Inside the Carl D. Perkins Building, the rapid clack of twisting plastic echoed across tables lined with timers and mats as 46 solvers gathered for a day of high-stakes precision. Hands hovered over displays, eyes locked on scrambled faces, and every reset brought a fresh burst of energy to Richmond, Kentucky, USA. The single-day schedule on June 10, 2023 packed 14 rounds across eight distinct disciplines, creating an electric testing ground for both seasoned contenders and emerging talents finding their rhythm.

The energy across the venue highlighted just how rapidly the next wave of cubers is shaving seconds off their marks. Across every event, competitors pushed their limits, turning routine solves into massive personal milestones. This cubing competition gave rising speedcubers the ideal floor to test new methods and demonstrate how quickly dedicated practice translates into sharp drops on the stopwatch, keeping judges busy through every preliminary heat.

Hayden Durand Bush delivered one of the weekend's most striking breakthroughs, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 18.30 seconds, an improvement of 53.4 percent over his previous 39.26 mark, alongside a debut in the 5x5x5 Cube that ended in 23rd place at 2:46.57. Glenn Koster carved out a massive personal best in Clock with a 26.69 single, trimming 47.4 percent from his prior standard. Isaiah Scott took on seven separate events, securing an eighth-place finish in the 7x7x7 Cube while lowering his Square-1 best to 19.00 seconds, a 41.8 percent reduction, and improving his Megaminx mark to 1:24.80.

Several competitors embraced brand-new puzzles alongside major personal bests during the WCA competition. Seth Marcum tackled five events, recording his first official attempts in the 5x5x5 Cube at 4:01.30 and Square-1 at 1:23.71 while earning 12th place in 7x7x7 Cube. Tyler Strohm registered a debut Square-1 mark of 42.89 seconds and dropped his Clock best by 24.3 percent down to 19.71. Joshua Christian Tsavaris took on four disciplines, logging initial marks in Square-1 at 19.63 seconds and Clock at 8.55 on his way to fourth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Zach Cardwell posted a Clock debut of 23.47 while bettering his one-handed single to 59.86, and Krish Indraprastha Kudva recorded a first one-handed solve of 32.18 while cutting his Rubik's Cube best by 28.2 percent to 15.49.

At the top of the standings, Luke Griesser established control over the marquee disciplines throughout Big E Slice 2023. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube, Griesser posted a blistering winning average of 5.84 seconds after delivering the best single of the entire tournament at 5.10 across three rounds. Miles Lentz secured second place with an 8.82 average, followed closely by Henry Powell in third at 9.10, concluding an ultra-competitive final round in the premier event.

Griesser continued his sweep across the larger puzzles and specialized events, demonstrating remarkable consistency across varying formats. In the 5x5x5 Cube, he clinched the title with a 56.23 average, finishing ahead of Alex Bohac at 1:14.87 and Daniel Mullen at 1:15.81. The 7x7x7 Cube produced the tightest duel of the afternoon, as Griesser took the victory in 3:09.41, edging out runner-up Evan Brown at 3:09.46 by a mere five hundredths of a second, with Mullen securing third at 3:20.26.

The one-handed and Megaminx tables saw Griesser add two more titles to his collection. He captured the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown with a 15.25 average, holding off Mullen at 16.72 and Brown at 18.15. In Megaminx, Griesser posted a winning mark of 49.30 seconds, while Eddie Smith took second place at 55.28 and Mullen collected another podium finish in third with 56.82, capping off an intense multi-event showcase.

Daniel Mullen left his own distinct mark on the day by securing two gold finishes. Mullen dominated Clock with a 5.58 average and a 4.47 single, leading Brown at 8.36 and Harrison Mullins at 8.73. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, which demands total spatial memorization before executing turns without sight, Mullen won with a single time of 2:25.84, followed by Roland Ababat at 3:05.31 and Alison Meador at 10:49.00.

Square-1 wrapped up the list of winners as Alex Bohac took top honors with a 13.03 average and a 10.53 single, prevailing over Aidan Halloran at 13.40 and Mullen at 15.19. Solvers from the USA filled all 24 available podium spots throughout the gathering, capping an exhilarating day of speed cubing in the Bluegrass State. As the equipment was packed away, the official 3x3 results and breakthrough personal milestones stood as proof of a rapidly advancing regional field.