Cork Spring 2023

118 competitors assembled at Devere Hall inside the Student Centre at University College Cork, each facing a challenging road just to survive the early rounds. Staged across February 25 and 26, Cork Spring 2023 tested solving speed and mental stamina across 12 events and 21 scheduled rounds. With a massive turnout in the traditional events, every seat at the solving stations required absolute precision. The sheer size of the roster meant that advancing to a final round was a hard-fought achievement in every category.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a crowded field of 109 entrants, meaning competitors had to navigate three cutthroat rounds of speedcubing to earn silverware. Richard Madden rose above the pressure to claim victory, compiling a gold-winning average of 8.90 seconds alongside a best single of 8.60 seconds. CJ Furey captured the second spot on the podium with a 9.21 average, while Cillian Hainbach finished third at 9.46. The final 3x3 results highlighted the razor-thin margins separating the nation top solvers.

Madden was not finished with just one title at Cork Spring 2023, showcasing exceptional versatility across differing formats. In Pyraminx, Madden led a field of 88 solvers across two rounds, taking first place with an average of 4.11 seconds and a rapid single of 2.24 seconds. He then added a third gold medal in Clock, recording a winning average of 8.30 seconds and a sharp 5.82 single, proving his mastery across mechanical puzzles that diverge significantly from the standard Rubik's Cube layout.

The 2x2x2 Cube featured 105 competitors fighting across three rounds, making it the second largest bracket in Cork, Ireland during the 2023 weekend. Kalin Doherty delivered a scorching display of speed, capturing the event with a sensational 1.66 average and a single of 1.49 seconds. CJ Furey secured another runner-up finish with an average of 3.05, while Madden rounded out the podium in third at 3.17. The event also saw numerous personal marks, including official entries by Olivia Ormond, Evan Hassett, James O'Shea, Aonghus Mathews, Nuadha Walsh, Daithí O'Connor, Darragh Sloan, Anthony Tighe, Adam Bermingham, and Alexander Duggan.

Callum Hales-Jepp emerged as a dominant force across big cubes and specialty events during the cubing competition. In 5x5x5 Cube, Hales-Jepp topped a field of 36 competitors with an average of 1:13.61, besting Adam Furlong at 1:14.84 and Hainbach at 1:16.79. Hales-Jepp also collected victories in Megaminx with a 1:01.76 average, 7x7x7 Cube with a 3:13.89 average, 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 1:16.98 average, and 3x3x3 Multi-Blind where he registered 8 out of 11 cubes in 43 minutes and 53 seconds. In 4x4x4 Cube, Hainbach took the gold with an average of 33.98, leading Hales-Jepp and Furlong across three rounds.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors made massive personal strides that illustrated the depth of the roster. Brandon McCann entered five events, shaving 79 percent off his Skewb personal best down to 7.00 seconds, cutting his Pyraminx best by 49.1 percent to 3.87, and taking on Clock for the first time with a mark of 39.22. Charlie Osborne tackled four events, slicing his Skewb best by 51.5 percent to 3.98, while also making first career attempts in Pyraminx at 10.89 and 2x2x2 Cube at 5.50. Neil Ydor Foley made his initial attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:41.03 while dropping his 3x3x3 mark by 50.1 percent to 15.27 and his 2x2x2 time by 40.3 percent to 5.48. Fionn O'Mahony delivered a breakthrough 69.7 percent reduction in 3x3x3 to reach 12.94, improved his 2x2x2 time by 62.3 percent to 3.48, and made a first Pyraminx attempt of 8.13.

Other dedicated solvers embraced the challenge across demanding schedules. Donal Croughan took on five events, logging first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:15.38 and Megaminx at 2:17.18, alongside a 28 percent improvement on his 3x3x3 best to 15.99. Isaac Kenneally registered a 30 percent improvement on his 3x3x3 best down to 19.99 while logging first attempts in Skewb at 6.61 and 2x2x2 Cube at 2.70. Logan Tully tackled an ambitious eight-event schedule, securing 10th place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, a 23.3 percent improvement in 5x5x5 Cube to 1:56.75, and first attempts in Skewb and Pyraminx. Charlie McCormack also expanded his repertoire across seven events, posting first marks in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:50.72, Skewb at 10.10, and Clock at 20.94.

The weekend concluded with notable triumphs in alternative formats that showcased fine puzzle control. Ben Timmons captured the Skewb title with an average of 4.39, holding off William Carey at 4.47 and Hainbach at 4.60. In 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, Anass Doublal won with a single of 42 moves, finishing just ahead of Cian Ó Flannagáin and Simon Kelly who shared second place on 43 moves. The high standard of speed cubing produced 25 podium places for Ireland, eight for the United Kingdom, and one each for Morocco, Mongolia, and India.

By the time the final timers stopped, Cork Spring 2023 had proved how competitive the Irish circuit has become across all 12 events. From standard 3x3x3 Cube heats to the deep mental discipline of blindfolded solving, every round demanded composure. Solvers will look back on the weekend as a rigorous test of speed and focus as the calendar progresses into the heart of the competitive year.