Cubing in the Valley 2023

Max Park delivered the weekend standout performance by conquering the classic 3x3x3 Cube final with a blisteringly fast 5.20 average, securing top honors for the home contingent in Thousand Oaks, California, USA. The single-day tournament on April 8, 2023 brought together 96 competitors across 12 fast-paced rounds of official WCA competition. While the American superstar locked down the premier event, the gathering developed into a lively cross-border battle between competitors representing the United States, China, and Korea, with podium spots fiercely contested from the opening heats to the late-afternoon finals.

Across the five featured events, the international representation created an electric dynamic on the stage at Thousand Oaks Community Center. American solvers collected seven podium places, but challengers from China were hot on their heels with six podium finishes, complemented by two from Korea. Owen Yepeng Sun of China proved to be the most decorated solver of the meet, orchestrating a double gold performance by capturing the top step in both Pyraminx and Clock, while Korea had its own golden moment courtesy of Square-1 specialist Kyeongmin Choi.

The 3x3 results formed the centerpiece of the program, drawing 95 competitors into the three-round Rubik's Cube bracket. Park showed immense command over the puzzle, unleashing a single solve of 4.28 alongside his winning 5.20 mark. Kyeongmin Choi pushed hard to represent Korea on the podium, taking second place with a steady 7.58 average, while American Elijah Brown rounded out the top three with a 9.07 result. The contest highlighted the depth of local and visiting talent chasing fractional advantages under the official timers.

The Pyraminx event featured another fierce inter-regional duel over three rounds among 66 entrants. Owen Yepeng Sun claimed the title for China with a remarkably quick 2.04 winning average, anchored by a best single of 1.35. Elijah Brown kept the pressure high for the host nation by claiming the silver medal with a 2.22 average, while Jack Flynn Stewart followed in third place with 3.54. Sun carried that momentum straight into the Clock discipline, posting an unmatched 5.88 average and a 5.30 single to best fellow countryman Young He, who took second in 6.52, and American Drake Denton Richard, who earned third in 7.54.

The side events continued the back-and-forth rivalry across different solving disciplines. Jack Flynn Stewart earned a gold medal for the United States in Skewb, putting together a 3.97 winning average and a 3.39 best single to stay ahead of Owen Yepeng Sun, who took second at 5.21, and Eric Jingze Dai, who finished third at 5.73. In Square-1, Kyeongmin Choi claimed victory for Korea with a 7.98 average and a 7.29 single, narrowly edging out Calvin Nielson of the United States with 8.30 and Wang Ma of China with 8.59.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Cubing in the Valley 2023 offered fertile ground for personal milestones and dramatic progress across the floor. Nora Y. Kester tackled all five events on the schedule, setting a personal best of 6.04 in Skewb that was 60.6 percent faster than her prior mark, alongside debut attempts of 53.41 in Square-1 and 24.26 in Clock. Alvaro De Almeida Felix took on three events and dropped his Pyraminx personal record to 4.95, a massive 48.7 percent improvement, while also lowering his 3x3x3 Cube standard by 27.8 percent to 13.83 and trying Skewb for the first time with a 13.65 single.

That spirit of personal progress echoed across the venue as competitors tested themselves against new challenges in speedcubing. Inay Vellore chopped 43.7 percent off their previous 3x3x3 Cube best with a 20.55 single and made a Pyraminx debut with 9.15. Makai Kahl similarly improved their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 36.7 percent to 14.64, while trying Pyraminx for the first time at 15.70. Brandon True completed a five-event slate that included a sixth-place finish in Pyraminx, a first Clock solve of 8.67, a 31.1 percent Skewb personal best of 4.93, and a 16.38 Square-1 best.

First-time participants also left a tangible mark during their opening speed cubing appearances. Brady Sherwood made an impressive debut across four events, logging a 9.98 single in the 3x3x3 Cube, a 10.01 in Square-1, and taking a fifth-place finish in Skewb with a 4.64 solve. Destin Dinh stepped up for their first tournament appearance with entries in four disciplines, advancing to a tenth-place ranking in the 3x3x3 Cube and registering first-ever marks of 13.11 in Skewb, 32.49 in Square-1, and 13.22 in Pyraminx. Cody Stroupe also debuted across three events, posting introductory marks of 7.03 in Clock, 8.89 in Skewb, and 9.98 in Pyraminx.

As the final timers were packed away, the single-day showcase in Thousand Oaks underscored the vibrant community that defines modern speedcubing. From elite international head-to-head showdowns at the top of the standings to the dozens of personal milestones logged across the venue, the competition delivered high drama and technical mastery across every discipline.