Colorado Western Slope 2023

Fourteen rounds of tournament action tested the endurance of 34 competitors on May 13, 2023, as the Grand Junction Convention Center hosted Colorado Western Slope 2023. Staged across seven distinct events, the schedule demanded absolute consistency from entrants looking to survive multiple elimination stages. From fast-paced short puzzles to complex mechanical challenges, the cubing competition structure rewarded athletes who could maintain their composure across repeated heats on the same demanding Saturday. Across every bracket, progression required matching raw speed with dependable reliability.

Raymos Castillo delivered a masterclass across the multi-stage format, capturing four separate tournament titles in Grand Junction, Colorado, USA. In the flagship 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, Castillo advanced through three full rounds before taking the final with an average of 9.32 seconds, highlighted by the day's best single of 8.04 seconds. Elizabeth Cutting secured second place on the podium with an 11.63 average, while Stone Amsbaugh took third in 12.02. The classic 3x3 results demonstrated how vital round-by-round momentum was in securing a decisive victory over a deep 34-person field.

Castillo duplicated that consistent excellence in the 2x2x2 Cube, navigating two rounds to claim first place with a 3.83 winning average. The final margin was razor-thin, as Kian Cline finished just two hundredths of a second behind with an average of 3.85, followed by Luke Ripperger in third place at 4.54 seconds. Castillo also paced the Pyraminx bracket through two rounds of competition, taking gold with a 4.89 average over Amsbaugh at 5.36 and Cline at 5.62. To complete a four-trophy performance at Colorado Western Slope 2023, Castillo conquered Clock across two rounds with a 6.57 mark.

The one-handed event pushed competitors through two stages of one-handed manipulation, where Stone Amsbaugh emerged triumphant in the final round with an 18.08 average and a best single of 15.88 seconds. Castillo took the runner-up spot with an 18.29 average, and Jaydon Loar claimed third place with a 21.08 mark. Square-1 delivered another intense two-round contest, where Kian Cline prevailed courtesy of a 16.99 average and a blistering single of 9.81 seconds, leading Castillo at 19.67 and Amsbaugh at 23.21.

Single-round events proved just as demanding, none more so than 3x3x3 Blindfolded where memorisation and execution collide. Elizabeth Cutting claimed the title with a winning single time of 59.56 seconds, standing as the only solver to break the one-minute barrier. Castillo followed on the podium with a 1:29.00 attempt, while Amsbaugh rounded out the top three at 1:39.29. Clock saw Alayna Garrett secure second place behind Castillo with a 7.14 average, and Preston Hoing earned third with 9.01. Across the entire speedcubing programme, competitors representing the USA claimed all 21 available podium spots.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants made substantial strides across the schedule at Colorado Western Slope 2023. Tasman Davidson delivered remarkable drops in three separate events, improving his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best to 32.43 seconds, which was 44.2 percent faster than his prior mark, along with a 33.9 percent improvement in Pyraminx to 7.12 and a 3.32 single in 2x2x2 Cube. Caelan R. Morrison cut 40.3 percent from their Pyraminx best to hit 5.46 seconds while also logging a 1:26.59 in their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed. CJ Kenney advanced through five events, dropping their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 38.6 percent to 19.47 seconds and taking fifth in blindfolded solving.

Trent Corbin Rundquist posted an impressive 5.06 Pyraminx single for a 38.1 percent improvement, while tackling his first ever attempts in both one-handed solving at 1:11.33 and Clock at 17.67 seconds. Timothy Currie shaved 37 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube benchmark with a 20.27 single. Doyle Cline trimmed his 2x2x2 Cube best by 29.9 percent down to 11.48 seconds across three events. Hudson Hobbs took on five events and posted his first ever attempts in Clock at 24.39 and one-handed solving at 1:40.75, while Dash T. Wong made his WCA competition debut by tackling three disciplines, including a 19.02 in 3x3x3 Cube and a 7.59 single in 2x2x2 Cube.

The sheer variety of events tested the adaptability of every speed cubing enthusiast who travelled to Western Colorado in 2023. From the technical demands of blindfolded execution to the frantic cadence of Pyraminx and 2x2x2 Cube rounds, the structured progression pushed the field to its limits. Colorado Western Slope 2023 wrapped up having showcased the depth of local talent, concluding a full day of racing against the timer and setting a high standard for the competitive year ahead.