Central KY Nats Warm-Up 2023

Inside the Lexington Public Library, Eastside Branch, tables were lined with timers, mats, and displays ready for a full day of puzzle solving. Competitors gathered to test their inspection routines, warm up their fingers, and fine-tune their hardware on July 22, 2023. The single-day WCA competition brought a field of 24 participants together in Lexington, Kentucky, USA for nine rounds across eight events, serving as a high-intensity showcase for speedcubing talent.

When the final standings were tallied, representatives of the United States secured all 24 available podium positions across the tournament. Every single top-three medal in every discipline stayed with the host nation, underscoring the remarkable depth across the local scene. From the standard Rubik's Cube to specialized twisty puzzles, American solvers swept the field in Lexington, Kentucky, USA during the 2023 season fixture.

Leading the multi-event charge was Evan Brown, who claimed four separate event victories throughout the day. Brown earned first place in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.21 winning average and a best single of 2.82, besting Henry Powell and Jonathan Scott. Brown also captured the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 35.38 average, paced the 3x3x3 One-Handed event in 18.39 seconds, and locked up top honors in Clock with a flat 6.00 winning average. In addition to his four gold finishes, Brown earned podium spots in Megaminx, Square-1, and the main 3x3x3 event.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube competition featured 24 competitors and two intense rounds of speed cubing. Miles Lentz delivered the standout performance of the event, securing the championship with an 8.32 winning average and logging the tournament's fastest single at 7.77 seconds. Jonathan Scott finished second with an average of 10.02, while Evan Brown claimed third on a 10.20 mark. The 3x3 results capped a decisive showing for Lentz, who also finished runner-up in the 4x4x4 Cube and third in Megaminx.

Specialty disciplines rounded out the packed schedule at Central KY Nats Warm-Up 2023. Roy Lee dominated the twelve-sided Megaminx event, winning with a 47.66 average and a single of 45.42. Jake M. Hanson took the Skewb title with a 4.58 average, outperforming Dominic Brandi and Tate Sullivan. In Square-1, Weston Todd locked down first place with an 11.33 average, backed by a quick single solve of 7.19 to defeat Brown and Cayden O'Neal.

Beyond the championship podiums, Central KY Nats Warm-Up 2023 offered significant personal milestones for competitors across the roster. Joshua Christian Tsavaris took on all eight events, finishing fourth in Clock and securing personal bests with a 3.51 single in 2x2x2 Cube, a 37.1 percent improvement, along with a 36.23 in 4x4x4 Cube, which was 29.5 percent faster than before. Andrew S. M. Park also tackled eight events, setting an initial official Megaminx mark of 2:40.21, dropping their Square-1 best to 27.80, and trimming their 3x3x3 Cube best to 11.87 seconds. Noah Foley entered four events, posting their first official attempts in 2x2x2 Cube at 5.27 and Square-1 at 1:13.33, while cutting their Skewb personal record by 34.5 percent down to 8.28.

Other solvers similarly made major headway at this cubing competition. Braylen Liggett registered a first official Skewb attempt of 10.66, slashed their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 34.5 percent to 15.67, and lowered their 2x2x2 mark to 5.95. Michael Stoops entered seven events, claiming seventh place in Clock and setting new personal marks in 3x3x3 Cube at 18.38 and Square-1 at 40.32. Kiran Limpawuchara completed a first official 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt with a time of 55.03, while Ben York and Micah Johnson made their career debuts, with York recording initial marks of 39.59 in 3x3x3 Cube and 17.99 in 2x2x2 Cube, and Johnson logging an opening 14.21 solve in 3x3x3 Cube.

The smooth operation of the schedule at Central KY Nats Warm-Up 2023 proved how much competitive speedcubing can fit into a single day. With 24 competitors across eight separate events, the Lexington event delivered fast times and shared achievements across every skill tier as solvers look ahead to the remaining circuit events.