Fall River Cubikon 2023

Ninety-three competitors gathered under one roof as the Fall River Elks Club opened its doors for Fall River Cubikon 2023 on February 5, 2023. Staged in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA, the single-day gathering offered a packed program of nine rounds across five official events. While the race for silverware generated plenty of intensity on the timing mats, the open hall quickly became a hub for shared advice, practice sessions, and mutual support between rounds. The camaraderie that defines speedcubing was fully visible from the morning check-in to the final presentations.

For newcomers and seasoned hands alike, this cubing competition served as a welcome showcase of puzzle diversity in New England. Participants brought everything from classic three-layered cubes to non-cubic puzzles, trading tips on finger tricks and hardware setups during the downtime. The shared passion across all age brackets brought an unmistakable energy to the tables. Speed cubing thrives when an entire hall rallies behind personal milestones, and this WCA competition offered countless opportunities for competitors to celebrate incremental gains beside their peers.

At the front of the pack, the 3x3 results delivered exceptional performances in the final round of the classic Rubik's Cube. Daniel Gutierrez captured first place in 3x3x3 Cube with a winning average of 6.82 seconds, backed by a best single of 6.61. Krish Shah-Nathwani secured the runner-up spot with an average of 7.14, while Charles Amarello completed the podium in third place with a 9.16 mark. The top tier of solvers pushed the pace across three full rounds of head-to-head solving.

Gutierrez remained busy throughout the day, claiming a second gold medal in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 14.15 and a single of 12.15 across two rounds. AJ Kamal took second place with a 15.94 average, and Viktor Pearl stood third with 17.78. Gutierrez also collected a third-place finish in Clock with an 8.47 average, rounding out a remarkably versatile showing across multiple puzzle formats.

The shorter formats saw Krish Shah-Nathwani claim two individual victories. In 2x2x2 Cube, Shah-Nathwani posted a winning average of 2.25 to edge out Daniel Gutierrez, who took second with 2.49, and Curtis Chai, who finished third with 2.83. Shah-Nathwani added another victory in Pyraminx, producing an average of 3.40 and a best single of 1.93. AJ Kamal earned second on the Pyraminx podium with 3.95, while Jacob Schwartz secured third place with 4.29.

The standalone Clock event brought specialized speed to the stage, featuring 41 entrants in a single decisive round. Joshua Marriott took top honors with a swift winning average of 4.62 and a best single of 4.25. Viktor Pearl earned the silver spot with an average of 7.54, finishing just ahead of Gutierrez. In all, United States competitors swept all 15 available podium positions across the tournament schedule.

Away from the top steps of the podium, Fall River Cubikon 2023 provided a platform for substantial personal breakthroughs. Molly P. Carr entered four events and delivered major personal bests, cutting her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 65.2 percent down to 4.88 seconds, dropping her Pyraminx best by 33.3 percent to 10.19, and posting a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:00.54. Saifan Iftear took 15th in 2x2x2 Cube while trimming their personal best by 47.2 percent to 2.04 seconds, shaving 22.4 percent off their 3x3x3 Cube best with a 10.96 single, and registering a debut one-handed solve of 33.66. William Mattoon lowered their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 54.8 percent to 2.18 seconds and tried Clock for the first time with a 23.84 result. Colin Kiselka logged a first attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 29.98, improved their 2x2x2 Cube best by 35.2 percent to 4.43, and reduced their 3x3x3 Cube record by 32.9 percent to 13.61.

The personal milestones continued across the floor. Nathan MacDonald completed a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 52.84 single and dropped their 2x2x2 Cube best by 39 percent to 6.41. Samuel Hicking took on all five events, securing 14th in 2x2x2 Cube with a 52.8 percent improvement down to 1.50 seconds, cutting their one-handed best by 31.4 percent to 28.90, and lowering their Clock best by 5.7 percent to 13.21. Lorenzo Millan improved their Clock mark by 52.5 percent to 23.14 seconds, their one-handed best by 5.8 percent to 32.10, and their three-by-three standard by 5.2 percent to 16.81. Graydon Cahill Clariond took on two events, slashing their 2x2x2 Cube best by 55.7 percent to 2.86 seconds and improving their 3x3x3 Cube best by 5.6 percent to 13.37.

The gathering in Massachusetts reflected the collaborative spirit of the wider cubing community, where veteran competitors and first-time entrants share the same warm space. From fast-paced head-to-head rounds to quiet practice sessions between calls, the tournament delivered memorable moments for all who attended. As the tables were packed away at the Fall River Elks Club, Fall River Cubikon 2023 concluded as an inspiring chapter in the region's 2023 calendar, setting a welcoming standard for the next season of competitive solving.