DeKalb Cubing Fall 2023

The competition floor at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb buzzed with focused energy as 103 competitors gathered for a full schedule of speed cubing action. Stations were lined with timers, stopwatches, and display mats, creating an intense environment where tenths of a second dictated the standings across 13 rounds of play. While standard speed events demand rapid reflexes and quick physical execution, the broader world of speedcubing often draws contrast with methodical, analytical disciplines like Fewest Moves, where solvers rely on quiet pen-and-paper analysis. Here in Illinois, the day demanded pure speed, rapid inspection, and relentless consistency across six varied disciplines.

DeKalb Cubing Fall 2023 brought together a deep field on October 22, 2023, drawing participants from across the region to test their capabilities against the clock. The lineup tested competitors across varying puzzle dimensions, ranging from the mechanical intricacies of the Skewb to the heavy demands of the 6x6x6 Cube. Throughout the venue, solvers transitioned between individual rounds, managing both high-tempo turning and the mental fortitude required for specialized events. The single-day tournament delivered a relentless pace from the early morning heats to the late-afternoon finals.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 101 competitors, making it the most heavily contested discipline of the weekend. Henry Lichner delivered an exceptional run across three rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube, capturing first place with a final winning average of 8.01 seconds and a best single of 7.24. Joshua Feran secured the second spot on the podium with a 10.15 average, while Jammir Aloya followed closely in third place with a 10.27 mark. The 3x3 results capped a day of intense racing at the top of the bracket.

Lichner extended his dominance well beyond the main event, mounting an extraordinary multi-discipline campaign. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, he claimed the gold medal with a 14.18 average and a best single of 12.81, outpacing Nathaniel Gee who logged 14.85 for second, and Aiden Imgrund who took third at 15.01. Lichner maintained that same control on the bigger puzzles, capturing the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 26.92 winning average ahead of India's Akshaansh Chilakapati at 33.39 and Jacob Turrubiartes at 37.53. He completed a four-event sweep in the 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:30.40, with Turrubiartes placing second in 1:57.84 and Chilakapati taking third in 1:58.23.

Away from the top of the podium, numerous competitors delivered massive personal breakthroughs and embraced new challenges across the schedule. David Christenson entered four events, posting his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:29.59 single, while slashing his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 67.1 percent to 20.19 and improving his Skewb personal best by 22.5 percent to 9.97. Adrian Lutz logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed at 35.97 and his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:05.63, alongside a 37.5 percent Skewb personal best reduction to 9.29. Silas Johnson completed his first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube in 7:32.96 and his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:51.05, while lowering his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 31.4 percent to 1:41.93. Filip Gostkowski took on four events, securing a first ever attempt at Skewb in 7.27, a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 39.03, and a 27.8 percent personal best drop in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:01.75.

The momentum continued with Jacob Spallone, who marked his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 1:07.64 single and cut his Skewb personal best by 55.4 percent down to 14.04. Angelo Melgar stepped up to four events, recording a first ever attempt at Skewb of 11.35, a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 46.14, and a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 2:29.25. Aaron Nordyke tackled five events, notching a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube in 5:21.01 and a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 52.91, alongside a 21.3 percent personal best improvement in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:39.90. Hayley Veloso also excelled across four events, delivering a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:49.08 while improving her Skewb personal best by 40 percent to 9.94.

The tournament also featured impressive performances in alternative events that tested different mechanical and cognitive approaches. The Skewb competition saw Lucas Lippman-Bruno earn the title with an average of 4.20 seconds, narrowly edging Boyd Mayfield who posted 4.44 for second place, with Akshaansh Chilakapati taking third at 4.87. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, where competitors rely entirely on memory and orientation without visual cues, Brayden Thompson took first place with a single solve of 47.52 seconds. Jacob Turrubiartes finished in second place with a 49.14 single, followed by János Csontos in third with 1:15.66.

The action-packed day in DeKalb, Illinois, USA demonstrated the exceptional depth of talent present in the regional community throughout 2023. Across every division of this WCA competition, competitors pushed the boundaries of their individual capabilities, balancing rapid-fire turning with precision execution under pressure. As another memorable cubing competition concluded at Northern Illinois University, the focus turned toward future training cycles, with participants carrying home new milestones, podium medals, and fresh benchmarks from an outstanding showing at DeKalb Cubing Fall 2023.