Evanston Fall Mini B 2023

Thirty-seven competitors gathered under one roof as the action got underway in the Technological Institute at Northwestern University. The compact single-day tournament brought together solvers from across the region to test their skills in front of friends, family, and peers. Taking place in Evanston, Illinois, USA on November 11, the Evanston Fall Mini B 2023 offered five intense rounds across three distinct disciplines. Local pride was on the line as familiar faces took their seats at the timing stations, ready to make their mark on home soil in the 2023 speedcubing calendar.

The undisputed standout of the day was Carter Thomas, representing the USA, who put together a flawless sweep across the entire schedule. In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, Thomas delivered under pressure, capturing first place with a winning average of 7.86 seconds and putting up the fastest single solve of the discipline at 6.79 seconds. His composure at the table set the benchmark early, giving the hometown audience plenty to cheer for as he commanded the main stage in the classic Rubik's Cube competition.

The 3x3 results featured a fiercely contested final round that pushed everyone on the podium to their limits. Wonder Dygico of the Philippines secured second place with an average of 9.27 seconds, having earlier registered an outstanding single of 7.27 seconds and an 8.44 average during the rounds. Third place went to Austin Worley from the USA, who posted a solid 10.51 final average alongside earlier marks of 9.06 for single and 10.09 on average. Thomas, Worley, and Dygico set the pace throughout two complete rounds of standard solving.

Beyond the traditional cube, Thomas continued his dominant run in the Pyraminx event, taking top honors among twenty-nine competitors. He locked down the gold with a 3.18 average and the fastest single of the bracket at 2.60 seconds. Owen Chen finished as the runner-up with an average of 4.38 seconds, while Zhouyao Zhu claimed third place with a 5.38 average. The precision handling demanded by the triangular puzzle offered a sharp contrast to the square events, yet the local favorite showed absolute mastery at Evanston Fall Mini B 2023.

The third event on the program tested endurance and spatial awareness on the dodecahedral Megaminx. Facing seventeen competitors over a single decisive round, Thomas once again secured the top spot on the podium. He posted a winning average of 50.25 seconds, powered by a blistering single of 43.04 seconds. Austin Worley took his second podium finish of the day with a 52.54 average for second place, while Daniel Perez completed the podium in third with an average of 1:31.54, wrapping up a memorable sweep for Thomas.

Beyond the top podium spots, the heart of any cubing competition lies in the personal milestones achieved across the venue. Colton Ohlund entered three events and delivered a standout performance, dropping his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 31.31 seconds, an improvement of 32.8 percent over his previous mark of 46.61, while trimming his Pyraminx best by 23.8 percent to 15.75 seconds and placing eighth in Megaminx on a first attempt of 2:39.66. Jude Mikec also made massive strides in the 3x3x3 Cube, lowering his personal record by 32.6 percent to 16.52 seconds. Peter Wilemon tackled three events, finishing fifth in Megaminx with a debut time of 2:04.15 and cutting 27.5 percent off his Pyraminx mark to hit 7.43 seconds.

The breakthroughs continued across the roster as solvers embraced new challenges at this WCA competition. Angelo Melgar recorded a personal best of 8.64 seconds in Pyraminx, cutting his prior mark by 26 percent, and took on his first official Megaminx attempt at 4:36.59. Ernest Brusubardis V notched a 15.76 in the 3x3x3 Cube, which was 25.4 percent faster than before, alongside a first Megaminx solve of 3:07.12. Rishi Merai improved his 3x3x3 Cube best by 24.3 percent to 14.58 seconds and placed tenth in his first ever Pyraminx attempts with a 5.56 single. Jameson Walsh trimmed 18.4 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best down to 22.82 seconds and finished ninth in Megaminx at 2:29.36. Eliott Warren rounded out the big improvements with a 19.90 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube, an 18.3 percent drop, while taking eleventh in Megaminx with a debut of 2:48.18.

The afternoon was equally special for the newcomers making their competitive debuts on the tournament stage. Daniel Finn, Henry Fopma, Liam Hard, and Joshua Minniefield each took part in their first official tournament, taking on the clock and recording their foundational times across multiple events. Their presence highlighted the constant influx of emerging talent into the speed cubing scene, bringing enthusiasm to every round as they launched their competitive journeys.

When the final timers were cleared, the United States accounted for seven total podium placements, with the Philippines and China each earning one. With three gold medals across three distinct disciplines, Carter Thomas provided the defining narrative of Evanston Fall Mini B 2023, leaving a high standard for future meets in the area. Solvers and organizers closed out the schedule with a wealth of personal achievements, celebrating a focused day of puzzle solving at Evanston Fall Mini B 2023.