Colorado Mountain Tour - Avon 2023

The EagleVail Pavilion was filled with focused intensity on June 12, 2023, as timers started and puzzle faces turned at the Colorado Mountain Tour - Avon 2023. Staged in Avon, Colorado, USA, the gathering brought together 46 competitors for a full day of high-level solving across 15 rounds and six distinct disciplines. The venue buzzed with steady activity as seasoned entrants and emerging contenders settled into the flow of the cubing competition.

Veteran competitors quickly found their form, establishing a blistering pace from the opening stages of the main Rubik's Cube event. Luke Garrett set the standard early in the 3x3x3 Cube, advancing cleanly through three rounds to secure victory with an average of 5.40 and a best single of 5.06. Jack Bellomy took second place with a 7.14 average, while Zayn Khanani captured third on the podium with a mark of 7.36, rounding out a top tier of experienced hands.

Garrett extended his commanding run into the 4x4x4 Cube, where his refined turning and disciplined lookahead carried him through three rounds to the title. He finished with a winning average of 26.15 and a best single of 24.77, heading a field of 41 competitors. Jack Bellomy claimed the runner-up spot with a 31.84 average, and Jacob Nokes secured third place on the podium with an average of 32.57.

The one-handed contest delivered another demonstration of technical mastery from the frontrunners. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Garrett secured his third victory of the day with an 11.02 average and a 9.42 single across three rounds. Simon Kellum followed closely in second place with a 14.45 average, while Zayn Khanani posted a 14.87 average to earn third place among 38 entrants.

Beyond the standard events, the schedule demanded adaptability across specialised disciplines. The 3x3x3 Blindfolded round saw Garrett claim his fourth victory with a best single solve of 39.81. Elizabeth Cutting secured second place on the podium with a 1:09.38 solve, followed by Hassan Khanani in third with a 1:01.56 single. In Square-1, Hassan Khanani earned the top spot across three rounds with a 6.93 average and 5.45 single, leading Zayn Khanani in second at 10.11 and Jacob Nokes in third at 11.19. Jack Bellomy led the Megaminx division over two rounds, winning with a 39.82 average ahead of Garrett in second at 42.59 and Kellum in third at 54.84.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors produced notable personal milestones throughout the weekend. John Tyson Moon Reeke showed major progress by lowering their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best to 21.31, an improvement of 36.5 percent, and set a Megaminx personal best of 1:28.20. Rebecca Hebert logged a 51.13 personal best on the 4x4x4 Cube, which was 27.9 percent faster than before, while also recording a 24.41 personal best in Square-1 and taking on Megaminx for the first time with a result of 3:08.45. Noah Schreiber trimmed 26.6 percent off their previous best in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 50.96 single, reduced their 4x4x4 Cube best to 1:28.04, and posted their first attempt in Square-1 at 1:18.98. Albert So Yik Ban set a new 3x3x3 One-Handed best of 22.71, dropping their previous mark by 26.6 percent, while improving to 56.31 on 4x4x4 Cube and logging a first Megaminx result of 2:51.04.

First-time event entries highlighted the depth of participation across the schedule. Paul Gibson made their first WCA competition appearance by tackling four events, recording initial times of 2:15.44 on 4x4x4 Cube, 1:29.38 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 3:53.95 in Megaminx. Leonel Zazueta Reynoso also entered their first official speed cubing contest, posting an initial 1:37.83 on 4x4x4 Cube and a 23.04 single on the 3x3x3 Cube. Ryan Lucky stepped up to four events, achieving a 14.68 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube alongside first attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 41.41 and Square-1 at 27.35. Cameron Popp took on four events, setting a 13.66 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube, an initial Megaminx attempt of 2:48.44, and a 1:23.69 4x4x4 Cube best.

A flurry of benchmark marks across the 3x3 results demonstrated the broad competitiveness of the field. Official single and average results were established by Stone Amsbaugh, Julian Maclennan, Paul Gibson, Joshua Stanley, Taren White, Jack Roe, Hassan Khanani, Noah Schreiber, Preston Hoing, and Elizabeth Cutting. Across every round, the speedcubing community in Colorado showcased sharp preparation and consistent execution.

The Colorado Mountain Tour - Avon 2023 wrapped up with the United States sweeping all 18 podium positions across six events. As the venue cleared in Avon, competitors carried forward valuable experience and fresh official times to prepare for their upcoming stops in the 2023 tournament calendar.