Clarks Hill Cubing 2023

The competition hall at Elijah Clark State Park was filled with intense focus and the steady sound of turning layers throughout the final weekend of September. Set alongside the park waters in Lincolnton, Georgia, USA, the gathering brought together competitors from across the region for two full days of high-level play. Across 20 distinct rounds, the roster of 60 competitors tackled eight different disciplines. From compact mechanical puzzles to complex big cubes, every competitor arrived ready to test their preparation on the official stage.

Progress was the defining narrative of Clarks Hill Cubing 2023. While tournament victories were contested at the highest level, the weekend stood out for the sheer number of personal breakthroughs recorded across the board. Speedcubing relies on razor-thin margins, and competitors repeatedly shaved substantial time off their previous career marks. Across all experience levels, the event offered an ideal setting for solvers to measure their development and push their personal boundaries in official World Cube Association play.

The 3x3x3 Cube competition featured 57 competitors battling through three rounds of action. Caleb Chen captured the victory with a commanding winning average of 6.43 seconds, also posting the fastest single solve of the event at 6.20 seconds. Nicolás Sánchez took second place with a final average of 7.43 seconds, while Jared Stinson finished third with a 7.71 average. The 3x3 results highlighted the extraordinary depth of talent in the field, as competitors consistently delivered fast, reliable times through every stage.

In the 2x2x2 Cube event, 56 competitors competed across three tightly contested rounds. Nicolás Sánchez secured first place with an extraordinary 1.43 second winning average, propelled by a best single of 0.85 seconds. Jacob Sasine earned the runner-up spot with a 2.42 average, while Rowan Stough took third on the podium with a mark of 2.52 seconds. The lightning-fast discipline rewarded precision and instantaneous recognition under tournament pressure.

Beyond the podium finishes, the heart of the weekend lived in the huge leaps forward achieved by dedicated competitors. Max Money turned in a remarkable performance by taking more than half off his personal best in Pyraminx with a 6.92 solve, an improvement of 52.4 percent over his previous 14.53 benchmark, while also posting personal bests of 6.14 in 2x2x2 Cube and 23.17 in 3x3x3 Cube. Alik Cotton produced a standout weekend across four events, finishing 5th in Pyraminx with a personal best of 2.67 that was 52 percent faster than his prior 5.56, alongside personal bests of 7.04 in Skewb and 3.32 in 2x2x2 Cube. Jade Bowser recorded a 5.19 personal best in Pyraminx, trimming 37.5 percent off her old mark, and lowered her 3x3x3 Cube best to 12.35. Adlai Chang cut 35.7 percent from his previous standard with a 21.55 personal best in the classic Rubik's Cube.

First-time achievements and new event debuts added immense energy throughout the venue. Dean Money logged a Skewb personal best of 8.59, cutting 29.4 percent from his previous best, while also registering his first official attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 3:16.89. Cameron Porter tackled all eight disciplines on the schedule, recording his first official attempts at 5x5x5 Cube with a 2:13.04, 6x6x6 Cube with 4:15.70, and 7x7x7 Cube with 7:39.43. Syria competitor Taym Rihawi took on seven events in their first WCA competition, posting first-time marks of 4.85 in Pyraminx, 1:38.21 in Megaminx, and 5.24 in Skewb. Charlotte Glover also made her official debut by contesting five events, posting first-ever times of 12.10 in 2x2x2 Cube, 20.68 in 3x3x3 Cube, and 3:17.73 in 5x5x5 Cube.

The big cube categories delivered exceptional battles between seasoned specialists. Vishwa Sankar earned top honors in 5x5x5 Cube with a 51.73 average and a best single of 48.29, edging Katie Hull in second at 53.06 and Jared Stinson in third at 55.64. Sankar repeated the triumph in 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:39.43, followed closely by Hull at 1:42.91 and Stinson at 1:47.82. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Jared Stinson took the victory with a 2:51.70 average and a single of 2:46.46, with Hull finishing second at 2:54.60 and Raymond Goslow claiming third in 3:21.83.

Side events offered high-speed drama and intricate solves across every round. Jared Stinson secured his second title of the weekend in Megaminx, finishing with a 40.41 winning average ahead of Vishwa Sankar at 48.39 and Nicolás Sánchez at 57.17. In Pyraminx, Keon Wilson took the victory with a 1.90 average and a rapid 1.31 single, leading Reed Tran at 3.07 and Leo Giacobone at 3.32. Skewb concluded with Nathan Smith capturing first place with a 4.36 average, Rowan Stough in second at 4.86, and Wilson taking third at 5.30.

The action at Clarks Hill Cubing 2023 demonstrated the vibrancy and athletic focus present across the modern cubing competition landscape. With all 24 podium places earned by USA competitors, the 2023 gathering proved to be a showcase of tactical skill, composure, and steady personal improvement. For every competitor who stepped up to the timer, the weekend in Lincolnton provided valuable experience and personal bests that will fuel their continued growth in speed cubing.