Folsom Winter 2023

Inside the halls of the Folsom Community Center on December 17, 2023, the steady rhythm of speedcubing echoed across rows of competition tables. Scores of competitors and spectators gathered under the bright indoor lighting, where stopwatches reset rapidly between rounds and puzzle pieces clicked relentlessly in every direction. With six official events scheduled across eleven rounds of play, the single-day gathering provided an intense test of concentration, mechanical dexterity, and stamina in Folsom, California, USA.

Big-cube competition demands an uncommon level of mental endurance and finger stamina, and the 7x7x7 Cube showcased that test of fortitude at Folsom Winter 2023. Facing twenty-five competitors in the single-round showdown, solvers spent minutes maneuvering hundreds of moving pieces without losing track of complex reduction steps. Paul Mahvi captured the title with a winning average of 2:32.73, backed by the best single mark of the event at 2:30.89. Max Siauw pushed him to the wire with a 2:33.00 average for second place, while Clement Cherblanc secured third with a 3:07.59 average.

The 4x4x4 Cube contest delivered another demanding showcase of multi-layered puzzle control across two fast-paced rounds. Fifty-seven competitors entered the fray, but Max Siauw set the standard with a winning average of 26.08 and the best single of the event at 23.13 to take top honors. Mahvi took the runner-up spot on the podium with an average of 27.17, followed by Calix Tang in third place at 33.52.

Beyond the larger layers, the traditional 3x3x3 Cube drew ninety-two competitors into a three-round battle for the premier Rubik's Cube crown. Siauw remained unstoppable, winning the final with an average of 6.91 and delivering the overall best single of 5.15. Zerui Cheng claimed second place on the podium with a 7.63 average, and Mahvi earned third place with a 7.87 average. The weekend generated noteworthy 3x3 results across the board, with competitors registering personal records and sub-ten-second times at this competitive WCA competition.

The spotlight shone just as brightly on competitors building experience across the program at Folsom Winter 2023. Aiden Parker Gamble entered three events and delivered massive personal bests, cutting his Pyraminx mark to 6.78 for a 47.6 percent improvement, dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 15.5 percent to 22.80, and posting his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 2:49.26. Harsh Shah tackled three events, establishing a 4x4x4 Cube debut at 1:20.59, a Pyraminx debut at 18.36, and shaving 18.8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube personal best with a time of 19.13. Ayaansh Kala lowered his Pyraminx personal best to 9.20, an improvement of 29.8 percent, while also recording his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube at 1:43.97. Elijah Perez slashed his Square-1 best down to 31.22, which was 41.2 percent faster than his prior record, alongside a 10 percent improvement in Pyraminx at 5.43.

Other dedicated solvers embraced heavy workloads and broke fresh ground across the weekend schedule. Sebastian Ekman entered all six events, earning a 10th-place finish in Pyraminx, logging his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 3:08.06, his first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube at 6:59.84, and a 15.5 percent personal best of 16.31 in Square-1. Zalman Grossbaum also took on six events, securing 7th place in Square-1, a 26.4 percent personal best of 11.28 in Square-1, a 3.1 percent cut on 7x7x7 Cube at 4:31.68, and a debut Pyraminx time of 5.32. Charan Bharathidasan registered a 14th-place result in 7x7x7 Cube with a debut mark of 5:15.98 while also making a first ever attempt at Square-1 with 21.72. Tuan Ton That made substantial leaps in two events, cutting his 4x4x4 Cube time by 39.6 percent to 39.84 and dropping his 3x3x3 Cube best by 22.8 percent down to 11.58.

Specialty disciplines provided even more variety on the tournament floor. In Square-1, Siauw claimed yet another gold by averaging 5.54 and notching a single of 4.93, outdistancing Calix Tang at 9.36 and Clement Cherblanc at 9.78. Blindfolded solving brought an intense hush to the room, where competitor memory and spatial awareness were tested to the extreme. Siauw triumphed once more in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded final with a winning average of 45.08, followed closely by David Karalli with a 42.72 single and Jason Ostdiek with a 43.89 single.

The fast-turning Pyraminx rounded out the busy timetable with sixty-two competitors vying across two rounds. Pravith Velmurugan captured the victory for India with a 3.33 winning average and the best single of 2.60, narrowly edging out Stephen Zhu at 3.39 and Aaron Paskow at 3.63. Across the entire program, United States entrants collected fifteen podium placements, France earned two, and India claimed one.

When the final timers clicked off at Folsom Winter 2023, the day left behind a complete record of endurance and speed. From the relentless turn counts of the big cubes to the sprint finishes on side events, the local cubing competition served as a vibrant showcase of speed cubing excellence in Northern California for 2023.