FargoDome 2023

A razor-thin margin of just 0.15 seconds decided the main event at FargoDome 2023, where 47 competitors assembled for a packed two-day schedule across 13 events and 29 rounds of action. In the final round of the classic Rubik's Cube, Brian Johnson captured the title with a 6.74 winning average and a 5.91 single, narrowly holding off Carter Kucala, who logged a 6.89 average. Simon Kellum rounded out the podium in third place at 7.84, capping a high-stakes duel where the top spots remained uncertain until the final turns of the three-round contest in Fargo, North Dakota, USA.

The drama between the weekend leaders extended across multiple disciplines during the speedcubing competition held on May 6 and May 7, 2023. In Megaminx, Johnson earned top honors with a 48.11 average, while Kucala followed closely behind at 51.51 and Kellum took third place with a 53.15. Kellum had his own breakthrough in the Pyraminx final, posting a winning 2.31 average to edge out Johnson at 2.64 and Chris Van Der Brink at 2.66. Across both days of this WCA competition, every podium finish went to competitors representing the United States.

Beyond the standard puzzle, the 3x3 results across alternate formats showcased remarkable versatility. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Johnson dominated a field of 31 competitors, securing victory with an 11.73 average and an event-best single of 10.59. Meanwhile, the blindfolded category delivered sheer precision, demanding flawless memorisation before solving without sight. Kucala took the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown with a single of 21.73, while Kaius Young placed second with 1:26.92 and Walker Welch earned third place with 1:38.74.

Big cubes proved to be the personal domain of Carter Bitz, who completed a commanding sweep across the multi-layered categories. Bitz captured the 4x4x4 Cube with a 28.53 average, secured the 5x5x5 Cube title averaging 52.15, and took first place in the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:40.82 average. In the massive 7x7x7 Cube, Bitz finished atop the podium with a 2:34.51 mark. The 6x6x6 Cube podium also featured Welch in second place at 1:48.73 and Kucala in third with 1:51.85.

The shorter formats brought lightning-fast turnouts and intense concentration throughout the venue. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Johnson took first place with a blistering 1.42 average and a 0.75 single over three rounds. Kucala grabbed the Skewb victory with a 2.13 average, besting Kellum at 2.79 and Johnson at 3.21. In Square-1, Johnson topped the standings with a 7.16 average, while Kucala finished second at 8.85 and Nathan Rahn earned third at 9.45. In Clock, Young claimed victory with a 5.63 average.

Beyond the trophy battles, FargoDome 2023 offered fertile ground for personal breakthroughs and milestone attempts across the bracket. Jackson Yacoub shaved massive time off his previous mark in Skewb, setting a new personal best of 8.30 that was 66.1 percent faster than his prior 24.51 mark, while also tackling his first official attempts in 2x2x2 Cube and 3x3x3 Cube. Tyler Antony dropped his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 64.4 percent to 4.26 and made his first attempts at Square-1 and Pyraminx. Noah Dunlop set a Pyraminx personal best of 3.40, improving by 37.4 percent while also taking on his first official rounds in 6x6x6 Cube and 3x3x3 One-Handed.

Progress rippled through the rest of the competitor roster as well. Nathon Lakoduk achieved an 11th-place finish in 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 3.12, marking a 34.6 percent improvement, and also posted a personal best of 5.09 in Pyraminx. Luke Marvin improved his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 26.2 percent to 1:35.95, while Liam Weigel took on seven events and registered his first attempts in Clock, 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 5x5x5 Cube. Marc Zhu entered five events and recorded first attempts in Pyraminx, 2x2x2 Cube, and Skewb, while Balam Thomas Perez logged first attempts in Pyraminx, 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 4x4x4 Cube.

A talented contingent of newcomers also used the arena to launch their speed cubing journeys. Alex Braun completed seven events during a tournament debut, including initial marks of 15.31 in 3x3x3 Cube, 46.57 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 1:07.38 in 4x4x4 Cube. Myles Tremaine and Timothy Peters also made their official competition debuts, tackling six or more disciplines each across the weekend schedule, while Xinyi Li stepped onto the floor for the first time across four distinct formats.

With 13 official disciplines completed and 39 podium places awarded, FargoDome 2023 wrapped up having tested the full spectrum of modern puzzle solving. From wire-to-wire duels decided by fractions of a second to landmark milestones across the expanded field, the gathering highlighted the vibrant depth of the sport in the upper Midwest as solvers look ahead to the next season.