Cubing in Cambridge 2023

Parth Garg delivered the single most striking performance of the weekend by solving the 3x3x3 Blindfolded puzzle in a blistering single time of 22.29 seconds. Requiring complete memorisation before executing turns without sight, the discipline demands supreme focus. Garg topped the two-round field of 25 blindfolded competitors to secure the gold, finishing ahead of Brazil competitor Thiago Han who posted a 29.77 and Will Russo from the USA with a time of 55.83. Garg set a high benchmark across the entire competition.

The one-day WCA competition took place on April 1, 2023, at the Cambridge Community Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. A field of 105 competitors gathered to tackle 6 distinct events across 12 fast-paced rounds of speedcubing action. Throughout the busy schedule in the Boston area, personal bests plummeted across all disciplines. Enthusiasts traveling for this regional cubing competition encountered packed fields and intense competition from the morning heats to the evening finals.

Christopher Yen emerged as the dominant force in the main Rubik's Cube category, producing outstanding 3x3 results across three demanding rounds. Yen claimed top honors in the 3x3x3 Cube final with a winning average of 7.69 seconds alongside a tournament-best single of 6.37. Nikhil Soares took second place with an average of 8.43, while Gabriel Garber Burd secured third on the podium with an 8.60 average. Yen also added a second title to his weekend haul by taking the 4x4x4 Cube crown.

In the 4x4x4 Cube event, Yen captured first place with an average of 29.84 seconds and a top single solve of 26.03 among 62 competitors. Timothy Castle took second place on the podium with a 33.21 average, and Nikhil Soares finished in third with an average of 36.93. The 2x2x2 Cube event saw Soares claim the top spot with a winning average of 3.07 seconds, narrowly defeating Thiago Han who finished at 3.09, while Gabriel Garber Burd earned another third-place finish averaging 3.58.

The depth of progress across the field stood out as several competitors made remarkable leaps on the official scoreboards. Leo Pellissier produced a massive leap in Square-1, recording a personal best single of 26.44 seconds to improve by 57.1 percent over a previous mark of 1:01.66 on the way to 18th place, while also completing a first ever attempt at Clock in 16.67. Chris Sutedja cut 53.5 percent off their 4x4x4 Cube best to record 50.48 seconds and took 6th in Square-1. Alexander Tran made a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 57.35 seconds and chopped 48.7 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube best with a 3.71 single. Nathaniel Wholey recorded a Square-1 personal best of 48.77 seconds, representing a 46.2 percent improvement.

The personal breakthroughs continued across multiple puzzle categories. Huy Tieu tackled their first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a time of 55.98 seconds and improved their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 39.6 percent to 9.09 seconds. Justin Oh lowered their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 36.8 percent down to 5.27 seconds. Roland Plante improved their 4x4x4 Cube mark by 36 percent with a personal best single of 51.99. Simon Tiger Houben took on all 6 events at the competition, making a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 9:07.21 solve to place 8th overall.

The Clock event delivered the tightest finish of the tournament as Nico Bezzerides edged out Timothy Castle by two hundredths of a second. Bezzerides captured the gold medal with a winning average of 6.94 seconds, just ahead of Castle who clocked a 6.96 average. Thiago Han rounded out the podium positions in third place with an 8.88 average. Bezzerides also recorded the fastest single solve of the 42 competitors in the event with a time of 6.15 seconds.

Castle rebounded in the Square-1 event, securing victory with an impressive winning average of 9.39 seconds and the fastest single of the round at 7.11 seconds. Yen added another medal to his collection by taking second place with an average of 9.52, while Han took third with an 11.62 average. The United States led all nations with 11 total podium appearances across the weekend, while Brazil captured 4 and India took 3.

Cubing in Cambridge 2023 wrapped up having demonstrated the tremendous technical growth and dedication present throughout the speed cubing scene. Across 12 rounds of intense puzzle solving, competitors continually pushed the boundaries of their personal benchmarks. As the 2023 season continues to unfold, the remarkable times posted at the Cambridge Community Center reflect a community of solvers continuously elevating their craft.