Bozeman Cubing 2023

36 competitors gathered in Montana for a full day of puzzle solving where rapid execution and calculating technique met head on. While cerebral disciplines like Fewest Moves demand quiet deliberation with pen and paper as solvers map efficient move sequences, the floor at Hyalite Elementary School tested pure real-time dexterity across ten different events. Bozeman Cubing 2023 brought 17 rounds of action to Bozeman, Montana, USA on October 29, 2023, offering a dynamic showcase of classic twisting puzzles alongside specialty shapes.

The spotlight across every single discipline belonged to Clément Cherblanc of France, who accomplished a clean sweep of all ten events contested throughout the day. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Cherblanc topped a field of 35 competitors through three rounds of play, logging a winning average of 9.54 seconds alongside a best single of 8.45 seconds. The podium for 3x3 results saw Reder Daughenbaugh of the United States take second place with a 12.70 average, while Colton Hulin secured third with a 13.52 mark in the final round.

Cherblanc continued his masterclass across the classic twisty puzzles. In the 2x2x2 Cube, he locked in a winning average of 3.68 seconds and a single of 3.06 to lead the 31 entrants, sharing the podium with Americans Dakotah Shinn at 4.65 seconds and Reder Daughenbaugh at 4.82 seconds. The 4x4x4 Cube saw Cherblanc take gold in 35.57 seconds over Tye Gorder at 53.81 seconds and Colton Hulin at 54.48 seconds, while his 1:10.00 average in the 5x5x5 Cube bested Liam Grant at 1:38.75 and Hulin at 1:43.83.

The big cubes pushed stamina and edge-pairing consistency to the forefront as the rounds progressed. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Cherblanc topped the four-person field with a 2:04.78 winning average and an impressive 1:49.02 best single, finishing ahead of Colton Hulin with a 2:55.91 and Liam Grant with a 2:59.99. Cherblanc sealed the heavy puzzle bracket in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a winning mark of 3:06.66 to lead Grant at 4:21.33 and Hulin at 5:14.52.

Cherblanc also controlled the non-standard hardware and specialist events across the schedule. He captured the Pyraminx title with a 5.86 average, navigated the Skewb final with a 6.08 average, and took the 3x3x3 One-Handed crown in 16.71 seconds ahead of Colton Hulin at 29.27 seconds and Tate Ackerman at 32.30 seconds. In the 12-sided Megaminx event, Cherblanc took top honors with a 1:00.74 average, followed by Hulin at 1:18.02 and Dakotah Shinn at 2:19.43.

Away from the top step of the podium, personal milestones and breakthroughs defined the atmosphere on the floor. Trenton Dell achieved major progress across multiple events, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.62 seconds, which was 73.7 percent faster than his previous mark, alongside trimming his 3x3x3 Cube best to 21.37 seconds and his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 2:00.52. Brody Daniel registered a 39.7 percent improvement with a 13.62 single on the 3x3x3 Cube, in addition to making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 57.92 and 4x4x4 Cube with 1:42.45. Bear Hape notched an eighth-place finish in Pyraminx with a personal best of 7.02 seconds, improving by 43.6 percent, while Owen Emory Stark tackled eight events, setting a Skewb personal best of 15.59 seconds and securing fifth place in Megaminx.

The day also provided memorable debuts for several competitors tackling fresh puzzles for the very first time. Gunner Lang took on eight events, logging a sixth-place finish in Megaminx with a first attempt of 3:33.93 while also debuting in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 53.34 and 4x4x4 Cube at 2:06.11. Ryder Simms entered five disciplines, making a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with 4:50.67, 2x2x2 Cube with 7.50, and 4x4x4 Cube with 1:55.82. Cashton Sharp took fourth place in the 2x2x2 Cube while posting initial attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 21.95, Megaminx at 3:10.73, and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:02.78. Jackson Franks entered seven events, securing fifth in Skewb and improving his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.51 seconds.

With 36 competitors filling the roster, Bozeman Cubing 2023 demonstrated the depth of the local speedcubing scene in the Rocky Mountain region. The cubing competition yielded 20 podium positions for the United States alongside 10 victories for France, providing an engaging arena for first-timers and veterans alike. As the 2023 season rolled onward, the Rubik's Cube community celebrated another full schedule of speed cubing excellence at a memorable WCA competition.