Cashmere Open 2023

Sixty-two competitors gathered at Cashmere High School on May 27 and May 28 for Cashmere Open 2023, delivering a masterclass in seasoned speedcubing precision across 26 hard-fought rounds. In Christchurch, New Zealand, veteran performers stepped up to the tables in emphatic style, proving that competitive pedigree remains the gold standard on the national stage. Spanning nine official World Cube Association disciplines, the weekend tested speed, control, and endurance across two full days of high-stakes Rubik's Cube solving.

The premier 3x3 results delivered exceptional marks as Dwyane Ramos commanded the main bracket from start to finish. Ramos claimed victory with a decisive 6.61 winning average in the final round, highlighted by a blistering 5.22 best single. Longtime rival Adrien Auvray Matyn took second place on the podium with a 7.06 average, while Jasper Murray rounded out the top three with a steady 7.24 mark. The contest underlined Ramos's sharp form and established the tone for a packed schedule of classic and specialty events.

Ramos extended his dominant run into the one-handed discipline, taking first place in the 3x3x3 One-Handed final with a 9.92 average and an 8.29 single. Murray secured the second step on the podium with an 11.85 mark, followed by Auvray Matyn in third at 12.99. In the largest puzzle of the schedule, Ramos added another championship to his tally, capturing the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:41.27 average and a 2:38.14 single, edging Angela Braganza who finished runner-up at 2:45.31 ahead of Finn Trass in 3:04.67.

Braganza found her own golden moment in the 6x6x6 Cube, delivering a composed performance to take the title with a 1:43.73 average and a 1:41.82 single. Ramos took second place with a 1:47.57 average, and Trass earned another bronze with a 1:54.37 result. Meanwhile, Elyas Eyou assembled an extraordinary sprint campaign across the smaller formats, winning the 2x2x2 Cube with a 1.54 average, taking the Pyraminx crown with a 1.67 average, and securing the Clock championship with a 5.78 average.

Behind the top podiums, Cashmere Open 2023 featured notable breakthroughs from competitors expanding their repertoires. Ben Gorman achieved the weekend's most striking improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a personal best single of 14.60 seconds, which was 54.6 percent faster than his prior 32.18 mark. Leo Sova slashed his Skewb personal best down to 4.61 seconds, an improvement of 49.8 percent over his previous 9.19, while finishing 12th in the 3x3x3 Cube with an 8.95 single. Harrison O'Reibow dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best to 10.72 seconds, an improvement of 38.1 percent, and recorded his first official attempts in Pyraminx at 5.43 and 2x2x2 Cube at 3.99. Matthew Hall also improved substantially in the 3x3x3 Cube, lowering his best to 16.08 seconds, 26.0 percent faster than before, after logging his first Skewb attempt at 6.01.

The sense of personal accomplishment echoed throughout the ranks as other dedicated competitors took on fresh challenges. Franklin Y. Yuan tackled all nine events at the competition, placing fourth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded while recording his first career attempts in the 7x7x7 Cube at 5:10.08, 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 3:00.79, and 6x6x6 Cube at 3:06.57. Cory Sonntag logged his first attempts in the 7x7x7 Cube at 7:43.06 and 6x6x6 Cube at 5:31.41 alongside a 32.41 personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed. International debutant Tim Xu earned a fourth-place finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 14.45 attempt and entered 3x3x3 Cube at 8.81 and 2x2x2 Cube at 3.31. Paul Connor took on his first WCA competition with five disciplines, recording first attempts in Clock at 32.27, 2x2x2 Cube at 21.43, and Skewb at 17.24.

In the specialty hardware, Adrien Auvray Matyn earned the Skewb title with an average of 3.38 seconds and a single of 1.92, holding off Ramos in second at 3.63 and Eyou in third at 4.40. Over at the Pyraminx table, Eyou's 1.67 winning average bested Murray's 1.85 and Auvray Matyn's 2.11 in a tight final. The Clock event saw Eyou prevail with a 5.78 average, while Ramos finished second at 6.52 and Connor Johnson earned third in 7.20.

Mental discipline took center stage in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, where competitors rely purely on memory and tactile execution without sight. Jack Maddigan conquered the field with a 59.52 single, securing the gold as the only solver to break the one-minute barrier. Auvray Matyn earned silver with a 1:19.84 single, and Jack McDougall secured bronze with a time of 1:23.76, capping off a demanding two rounds.

With all 27 podium places claimed by local contenders representing New Zealand, this speed cubing showcase highlighted the depth and enduring skill across the region. Across every round and bracket at Cashmere Open 2023, the blend of veteran authority and individual progress delivered a memorable chapter for this cubing competition in 2023 as participants turn their sights toward the next challenges on the calendar.