FMCats Wisconsin 2023

A blistering single of 20.27 seconds in 3x3x3 Blindfolded set the tone for an intense day of specialized solving as FMCats Wisconsin 2023 got underway. The single-day WCA competition took place on April 23, 2023, bringing together 13 dedicated competitors to a private residence venue in Colgate, Wisconsin, USA. Across four rounds spanning three challenging events, the gathering showcased the high precision required at the top level of modern speedcubing, drawing both seasoned veterans and versatile specialists.

Carter Kucala emerged as the standout performer of the entire meet, claiming two event titles through technical mastery. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, which requires complete memorisation before executing moves without sight, Kucala secured the victory across two rounds of competition. He posted a winning average of 25.70 seconds and a best single solve of 20.99 seconds. Jacob Turrubiartes finished as the runner-up with an average of 43.73 seconds, while Zeke Mackay locked in third place with a mark of 45.52 seconds.

Kucala continued his dominance in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, taking the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 24.33 moves and a best single attempt of 22 moves. The event tests analytical Rubik's Cube mastery over 60-minute attempts rather than pure turning speed. Brian Johnson claimed second place with an average of 30.33 moves, followed closely by Luke Garrett in third place with a 31.33 average. These 3x3 results highlighted an exceptionally disciplined field competing in Colgate.

The heavy hardware came out for the 7x7x7 Cube, where Luke Garrett captured the victory with a commanding performance. Garrett registered a winning average of 2:47.48 and delivered the fastest single solve of the event at 2:44.48. Kucala added another podium finish to his tally by taking second place with an average of 2:50.39, while Mackay rounded out the top three with an average of 3:10.81. Across all three events, all nine available podium places were secured by competitors representing the United States.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants delivered major breakthroughs across their personal records at FMCats Wisconsin 2023. Andrew Tyberg put together a remarkable triple-improvement day, shaving 12.9 percent off his previous mark in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a new personal best of 6:30.62, dropping 11.8 percent in 7x7x7 Cube down to 5:04.94, and trimming his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best by 7.9 percent to 35 moves. Draco Tong also improved his Fewest Moves personal best by 6.7 percent to 42 while securing a 5th-place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded.

Other competitors also left their mark with notable personal achievements during the cubing competition. Braden Richards improved his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best by 3.8 percent to 25 moves and placed 4th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Rachel Feran took 6th in Fewest Moves and improved her 7x7x7 Cube best by 3.8 percent to 4:57.00. Shain Papalotl Longbehn earned 10th in 7x7x7 Cube with a personal best of 5:29.17. Simon Kellum took on 3 events and finished 7th in Fewest Moves, Nathaniel Gee took on 3 events with a 6th-place finish in Blindfolded, and Will Cerne finished 7th in Blindfolded.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded competition featured high-risk, high-reward attempts that pushed solving limits. Along with Will Cerne recording a remarkable 20.27 single, Carter Kucala logged a 21.19 single. Zeke Mackay delivered a 55.76 single, Braden Richards turned in a 1:30.78 single, and Jacob Turrubiartes recorded a 1:35.65 single. Simon Kellum recorded a 1:39.40 single, while Nathaniel Gee and Draco Tong logged singles of 3:43.87 and 3:48.21 respectively. Brian Johnson and Luke Garrett also logged recorded attempts in the round.

The successful conclusion of FMCats Wisconsin 2023 proved that focused, smaller-scale events offer an ideal arena for technical excellence. Across the 7x7x7 Cube, blindfolded solving, and fewest moves, the meet provided high-level speed cubing action from start to finish. As the 2023 season continues to unfold, the strong metrics established in Colgate set a high standard for competitors heading into their upcoming fixtures.