Cal Poly SLO Spring 2023

The campus halls at California Polytechnic State University, SLO buzzed with intense focus as timers started clicking across the competition floor. Solvers gathered at Cal Poly SLO Spring 2023 on June 3, 2023, preparing their setups and inspecting puzzles ahead of an action-packed day. The event brought together 42 competitors in San Luis Obispo, California, USA, all eager to test their skills through 11 rounds across five diverse disciplines.

While the standard 3x3x3 is usually the centre of attention, the niche disciplines stole the spotlight early. The demanding 6x6x6 Cube tested endurance and complex reduction strategies across two intense rounds. Brendyn Dunagan delivered a commanding performance to capture the title, finishing with a winning average of 1:32.72 and setting the best single of the event at 1:31.96. Paul Mahvi followed in second place with an average of 1:42.17, while Dan Tran secured third place with 1:43.56.

Specialist solving continued to draw major interest during the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, where precision fingertricks and smooth turning are critical. Brendyn Dunagan once again proved unmatched, winning the final with an average of 11.84 and achieving the fastest single at 10.05. Dan Tran posted a solid 13.51 average to claim the runner-up spot, edging out Nipun Das, who rounded out the podium in third place with an average of 13.66.

The 4x4x4 Cube competition brought a thrilling battle between the weekend standout performers across two full rounds. Paul Mahvi captured the victory with a swift winning average of 28.57, also recording the fastest single mark of the event at 21.96. Brendyn Dunagan stayed right on his heels, finishing second with a 29.04 average, while Dan Tran placed third with a mark of 31.36 to take another top-three finish at Cal Poly SLO Spring 2023.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones away from the spotlight. Alvaro De Almeida Felix made substantial gains, dropping his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 2.32, which was 67.2 percent faster than his previous mark, and finishing 7th. Jeff Chen entered five events and recorded a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 3:12.72, showing a massive 48.4 percent improvement. Brandon True took fourth in the 6x6x6 Cube and posted a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 36.63, an improvement of 24.1 percent. Samuele Pedrocchi competed across four events, finishing 12th in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 33.91, which was 19.1 percent faster.

First-time achievements also defined the weekend for many participants at the cubing competition. Ian Arreaza tackled four events, making his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a time of 50.93, along with debut official marks in the 2x2x2 and 4x4x4 formats. Jeffrey S. Gonzales took on five events and made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:07.74. Norman Hayward entered his first WCA competition, reaching 9th place in the 2x2x2 Cube and recording a first ever attempt of 1:01.14 on the 4x4x4 Cube. Aiden Lee also appeared in his first speedcubing tournament, completing a first ever attempt of 33.00 in the one-handed event.

The traditional Rubik's Cube classic events delivered their own share of high-speed drama throughout the day. In the 3x3 results, Brendyn Dunagan earned the top step of the podium with a winning average of 6.76 and a best single of 5.25 through three rounds of action. Mulun Yin took second place with an average of 7.96, while Paul Mahvi took third with 7.97 in a close finish. The 2023 contest showed incredible depth across the entire 41-competitor field.

Shorter formats closed out the schedule with rapid turns in the 2x2x2 Cube. Brendyn Dunagan completed a dominant multi-event sweep at Cal Poly SLO Spring 2023 by taking first place with an average of 1.82 and a single of 0.69. Dan Tran placed second with an average of 2.48, and Zeke Miller took third with 3.24. Across all events, the United States collected 14 podium positions, alongside one podium spot for China.

The successful conclusion of Cal Poly SLO Spring 2023 highlighted the thriving community spirit and talent in speed cubing across California. From heavy-duty big cubes to one-handed dexterity and lightning-fast sprints, the gathering showcased the wide range of challenges modern solvers embrace. Competitors now look forward to building on their personal bests and stage experience as the season rolls on.