Everything in Evanston A 2023

A blistering 57.98 single by Stanley Chapel in the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event set the tone for an extraordinary display of speedcubing mastery at the Evanston Public Library. Every single top-three podium spot across all fifteen events went to United States competitors, completing a rare and absolute sweep of forty-five podium placements. The single-day tournament on March 25, 2023 brought twenty-nine competitors to Evanston, Illinois, USA to contest sixteen rounds across an exceptionally diverse lineup of puzzles.

Everything in Evanston A 2023 delivered intense battles across every category, with Stanley Chapel, Peter Weyers, and Brian Johnson sharing the lion's share of goldware. In the traditional 3x3x3 Cube, the premier test of Rubik's Cube solving, Weyers took top honors through two rounds of competition. His winning average of 7.41 seconds and best single of 6.78 secured first place in a field of twenty-nine contenders, cementing the headline 3x3 results of the day.

Weyers established absolute command over the larger twisty puzzles throughout the weekend. Alongside his classic 3x3x3 Cube triumph, he swept the remaining standard big cubes, capturing the 5x5x5 Cube with a 53.14 winning average, the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:45.51, and the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 2:34.19. Chapel chased him closely across the board, claiming second place in both the 6x6x6 and 7x7x7 disciplines and finishing third in the 5x5x5 Cube final.

Brian Johnson produced an equally dominant multi-event campaign across the alternative categories. Johnson earned four victories across the single-day schedule, taking the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a 13.10 average, the Pyraminx with a 2.89 mark, the Skewb with a 2.99 result, and the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.77 average. He added a fifth gold in Square-1, recording a 7.53 average and a 6.38 single to outpace a competitive field of sixteen solvers.

The blindfolded events highlighted Chapel's specialized prowess, which requires precise memorization before executing solutions without sight. Chapel swept all three blindfolded formats, claiming the 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 19.16 average, the 4x4x4 Blindfolded with his 57.98 single, and the 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a winning single of 3:04.82. He also secured victory in Megaminx with a 47.24 average and won the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 1.43 seconds, accompanied by a quick 1.16 single.

Beyond the title fights, this cubing competition showcased remarkable milestones across the roster. Tommy Moreno notched a massive breakthrough in Square-1, shaving his personal best down to 32.31 seconds, an improvement of 57.3 percent, alongside posting a 9.50 single on 3x3x3 Cube. Noah A. Wilson tackled nine events and delivered multiple personal bests, cutting his 5x5x5 Cube time by 19.9 percent to 2:16.48, his Clock mark by 17.5 percent to 11.82, and his Megaminx standard by 15.9 percent to 1:50.23. Austin Adueni contested ten events, dropping his Skewb personal best by 33.3 percent to 5.97 seconds and his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 31.43.

Several solvers expanded their competitive horizons by taking on fresh challenges. Judah Mulder entered seven events, logging his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 2:09.83 and Megaminx in 4:17.42 while dropping his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 33 percent to 4.84 seconds. Adam Sklar made his stage debut in Megaminx with a 4:09.80 and Clock in 21.02 while cutting 36 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube best at 4.03. Jacob Todd Wilson posted a 32.6 percent cut to his Pyraminx best at 7.98 seconds and a 28.9 percent drop on 2x2x2 Cube to 4.85 while trying 4x4x4 Cube for the first time in 1:45.86. First-time WCA competition entrant Toby Schoon competed in six events, recording first marks in Skewb at 18.02, One-Handed at 58.16, and 2x2x2 Cube at 4.62, while Lexi Yoon Kim registered first career attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 2:17.63, 2x2x2 Cube at 10.99, and Pyraminx at 17.37.

Clock proved to be another tightly contested race on the schedule. Carter Thomas secured the gold with a swift 4.31 average, besting Max Walaszek who took second with 6.50 and Chapel in third at 6.54. Thomas also showed his versatility by earning podium places in the 6x6x6 Cube and 7x7x7 Cube events, adding to the complete domestic sweep of the medal standings across every single event offered.

The expansive schedule at Everything in Evanston A 2023 highlighted the technical depth of the region's speed cubing community in 2023. From the lightning pace of the 2x2x2 Cube to the memory demands of the 5x5x5 Blindfolded marathon, the gathering at the Evanston Public Library offered an exhaustive test of dexterity and strategy. As the year progresses, competitors will carry their personal bests and event experience into the upcoming tournaments of the season.