Evanston Fall 2023

Thirty-eight competitors gathered on October 21, 2023, for Evanston Fall 2023, where precision determined every single result at the Technological Institute at Northwestern University. Across 14 distinct rounds of play, the margin between triumph and failure remained exceptionally narrow. In high-stakes speedcubing formats, particularly mean-of-3 disciplines like 3x3x3 Blindfolded, any small hesitation or minor execution flaw instantly ruins a cumulative result, leaving competitors with an unforgiving DNF on the score sheet.

That unforgiving reality was on full display in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event. With memorisation and execution combined under a blindfold, Jacob Turrubiartes secured victory on the back of a single solve of 34.91 seconds, despite finishing with a DNF average. The blindfolded field saw Aaron Soley take second place with a mark of 1:21.26, while Draco Tong rounded out the podium in third at 1:38.33. The event served as a stark reminder that in mean-of-3 formats, completing all three solves cleanly remains one of the hardest tasks in a WCA competition.

Carter Thomas proved to be the standout performer throughout the cubing competition, capturing three separate titles in Evanston, Illinois, USA. Thomas claimed first place in the classic Rubik's Cube with an 8.00 average, backed by a best single of 7.50 across three rounds of play. Aryan Kejriwal took the runner-up spot in the 3x3 results with an 8.61 average, and Władysław Potok secured the third step on the podium at 9.58. Thomas maintained composure across the weekend to lead the 38-person field.

The dominance continued for Thomas across the shorter formats as well. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Thomas clinched gold with an average of 2.64, holding off Władysław Potok who took silver at 2.69 and Aryan Kejriwal who claimed bronze at 2.85. Thomas added a third title in Clock, recording a winning average of 3.81 and a best single of 3.39 over two rounds. Zachary Shaw took second place in Clock with an average of 5.73, followed by Joshua Feran in third at 6.31.

Beyond the standard three-layered puzzle, the larger cubes and alternate shapes demanded absolute consistency. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Aryan Kejriwal captured first place with an impressive winning average of 55.20 and a best single of 47.48. Carter Thomas secured second place with an average of 59.46, while Wonder Dygico from the Philippines earned third place with a time of 1:03.46. In the Pyraminx event, Jacob Turrubiartes picked up his second victory of the competition, averaging 2.72 to edge out Sebastian Carrillo at 3.29 and Joshua Feran at 4.19.

Beyond the championship trophies, Evanston Fall 2023 featured breakthrough personal achievements from many competitors across the venue. Daniel Tartar cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 1.94, which was 47 percent faster than his previous mark of 3.66, while also taking a fifth-place finish. William Casey O'keefe dropped his Pyraminx personal best to 4.63, an improvement of 47.8 percent over his former 8.87. Addison Tencza improved his Pyraminx best by 31.3 percent to 5.30 and took fifth place in Clock. Toby Cuna competed across six events, posting a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.44 that was 39.9 percent faster than before, while also recording his first ever attempt at Clock with 14.59.

First-time attempts and debut performances added tremendous depth to the competition schedule. Berdel Raymond took on six events during the day, which included a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 1:57.87 and a sixth-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Carlos Chavez Ramirez recorded a personal best of 4.80 in the 2x2x2 Cube, improving by 13.8 percent, along with a first Clock attempt of 18.94. Filip Gostkowski tackled his first Pyraminx attempt at 17.93 alongside his first 5x5x5 Cube result of 2:26.95. Making his official speed cubing debut, Camilo Lara completed his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube in 26.29 and took twelfth in Pyraminx.

The single-day event in Illinois provided a clear measure of how technical execution separates podium contenders across all six disciplines. From the unforgiving demands of blindfolded solving to the rapid rotations of the 2x2x2 Cube and Pyraminx, every second counted at the tables. The 38 participants left the Technological Institute having tested their preparation under strict tournament conditions, setting the benchmark for their upcoming training cycles.