Bring the Heat AZ 2023

Single-handed mastery and rapid turning demand intense discipline across the classic Rubik's Cube variants, and Jeremy Bulambot demonstrated that focus by capturing the premier title at Bring the Heat AZ 2023 with an 8.17 winning average. Held at Glenview Adventist Academy in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, the gathering on August 20, 2023, brought together 92 competitors for 11 rounds of high-pressure action across five different disciplines.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood out as a focal point of the speedcubing weekend, drawing all 92 competitors through three stages of competition. Bulambot delivered a standout best single of 6.72 seconds in the final to take top honors over Dan Tran, who posted an 8.21 average for second place. Xavier W. NcCorchuk secured third place on the podium with an average of 9.13 seconds, finalizing the top tier of the official 3x3 results.

Dan Tran commanded the larger puzzles throughout the WCA competition, securing two decisive victories on the day. In the 4x4x4 Cube event, which featured 54 competitors across two rounds, Tran claimed the gold with a 29.89 winning average and a single of 25.89. Bulambot followed in second place with a 32.56 average, while NcCorchuk earned third place with a 37.91 average.

Tran repeated his dominance in the 5x5x5 Cube, besting a field of 36 competitors with an impressive 56.03 winning average and a 50.42 best single. Bulambot captured another podium spot with a second-place average of 1:08.65, followed by NcCorchuk in third at 1:15.18. The consistent trio mirrored their previous top finishes, asserting complete control over the weekend big cube lineup.

Beyond the traditional multi-layered cubes, the side events tested alternative ergonomics and mechanics. Sula Mareska earned the Clock title among 38 entrants, locking down a winning average of 7.10 seconds alongside a 6.39 single. Maxwell Jensen finished second with an average of 9.70 seconds, while Ivan Vanek recorded an 11.24 average to claim third place.

The Skewb contest featured 52 competitors across two rounds and delivered one of the closest finishes of the entire cubing competition. Isaac Enright seized first place with a 5.96 average and a fast 4.12 single, edging out Tran, who took second place at 5.99. Brian Yi completed the podium in third place with an average of 6.15 seconds.

Away from the top steps of the podium, Bring the Heat AZ 2023 provided a platform for notable individual breakthroughs across the roster. Kobe Lee took on five events, logging a first Clock mark of 16.44 and a 5x5x5 time of 3:38.61, while slicing 40.2 percent off his 4x4x4 best with a 1:11.98. Gage Stuart tackled five events, recording his first Clock effort of 26.65, a first Skewb time of 9.41, and a 4x4x4 personal record of 1:19.16, which was 30.5 percent faster than his prior best. Lucas Mastin posted a first Clock mark of 21.70 and trimmed his Skewb best by 36.1 percent to 8.87. Dylan Kaminski entered four events, establishing first marks of 14.03 in Skewb and 2:14.10 in 4x4x4, alongside a Clock best of 35.15, improving by 20.9 percent.

The depth of progress continued across the venue as several competitors expanded into entirely new formats. Parker Reed competed in four events, delivering his first Clock mark of 18.28, a Skewb debut of 15.90, and a 4x4x4 personal record of 58.23 that improved by 28.5 percent. Zalman Grossbaum took on five disciplines, placing fourth in 4x4x4, logging a first Clock time of 12.97, and dropping his 3x3x3 best to 6.14, a 29.3 percent improvement. Noah McClung completed his first ever WCA competition across four events, logging an 8.71 in Skewb, 9.81 on the 3x3x3, and 1:57.40 on the 5x5x5. James McCleland also made his speed cubing debut across four events, securing a fifth-place finish in Clock and logging a 7.51 Skewb debut.

Every podium finish across the five disciplines went to competitors representing the USA, concluding a busy single-day tournament. The successful run of Bring the Heat AZ 2023 demonstrated the strength of the regional community in Phoenix as participants wrapped up their rounds and prepared for the upcoming competitive calendar.