Elm City Kubikon 2023

Sam Cooperman delivered the standout performance of the day in Winchester, New Hampshire, USA, claiming victory in the marquee 3x3x3 Cube final with a crisp 8.06-second winning average. His performance featured a round-best 6.32 single that set the standard across 68 competitors in the headline discipline. The single-day showdown held on September 24, 2023, gathered 70 competitors for an action-packed schedule spanning six events and 11 total rounds.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Elm City Kubikon 2023 highlighted the shared camaraderie that defines a local cubing competition. Held at the Ellen Lambert Murphy Memorial Community Center, the tournament offered a bustling environment where competitors gathered around practice tables between rounds to share solve tips, test puzzle hardware, and support friends making their official debuts. The spirit of speedcubing was evident in every corner of the venue throughout the busy autumn day.

The tournament schedule brought plenty of variety to the floor, balancing the classic Rubik's Cube with fast-paced side events. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Quinn Maloney surged to first place with an impressive 1.74-second winning average, finishing just ahead of Ethan Zhuang with 1.84 and Rémi Chrétien with 2.01. The short sprint of the 2x2 event engaged 62 competitors across two rounds, delivering rapid turnarounds and high excitement.

Elijah Rain Phelps proved to be one of the most versatile athletes of the gathering, claiming the top spot in Pyraminx with a 2.96-second average and a best single of 2.32, while also securing second place in the 3x3x3 Cube at 8.19 seconds. Phelps further demonstrated broad mastery by earning runner-up honours in the 4x4x4 Cube behind Derek White, whose winning average of 32.27 and single of 29.96 led the 46-person field.

The side events continued to draw significant focus throughout the afternoon. Canada’s Gabrielle Morasse captured first place in Clock with a swift 5.98 average, posting a single solve of 5.05 to outpace Edward Habeck IV at 6.54 and Zachary Miller at 6.58. Meanwhile, Thiago Han of Brazil mastered the twelve-sided Megaminx, taking victory with a 51.53 winning average and a 48.23 single, followed by Chris Yeager and Derek White on the podium.

Much of the weekend energy came from competitors chasing major individual milestones across multiple disciplines. Bryan Townsend III had an exceptional day, lowering his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 3.11 seconds to go 65.4% faster than before, while also improving his 3x3x3 Cube best to 26.40 seconds, a 24.9% improvement, and making his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a time of 10.15. Max Webster tackled a full slate of six events, logging his first ever attempt at Clock with 10.36, his first ever attempt at Megaminx with 1:59.07, and cutting his 4x4x4 Cube best to 49.60, which was 22% faster. Sam Goldman took on five events, achieving a Clock first attempt of 23.89, a Pyraminx first attempt of 11.18, and a 4.9% improvement in 4x4x4 Cube to 1:46.97. Rohan Rao dropped his 3x3x3 Cube time by 29.2% to 21.95 and posted an 8.12 on his first ever attempt at Pyraminx.

The collaborative atmosphere also fostered great strides for competitors expanding their repertoires. Perry Sexter registered a personal best of 15.09 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 19.8% faster than previous marks, and completed his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:04.72. Gavin Reeder produced an impressive series of drops across five events, trimming his Clock mark to 14.81 by 24.4% and his 4x4x4 Cube time to 1:31.92 by 20.1%. Fresh faces also made their presence felt, as Gabriel Vennard took on six events in their first WCA competition, recording a 1:15.34 first attempt in 4x4x4 Cube and a 9.79 in Pyraminx. Fellow debutant Alan Hu stepped up for three events, recording a 13.98 first attempt in the 3x3x3 Cube and a 4.82 in the 2x2x2 Cube.

Across the entire day, the United States accounted for 14 podium positions, while competitors from Canada and Brazil secured two apiece, reflecting the international flair present in Winchester. As Elm City Kubikon 2023 drew to a close, the final 3x3 results confirmed Sam Cooperman as the day's champion ahead of Phelps and third-place Jacob Schwartz, putting an exclamation mark on an inspiring day of speed cubing fellowship.