Fort Wayne Favorites 2023

Eli Parker delivered the defining performance of late summer by recording a 6.96 average to take the 3x3x3 Cube title in Indiana. As the competitive calendar turned toward the autumn stretch, the one-day gathering proved that late-season form was peaking across every event category. Held on September 3, 2023, at the Grand Wayne venue, the tournament brought together 111 competitors for 19 total rounds across 13 distinct disciplines, setting a blistering pace from the opening heats to the late finals in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA.

The 3x3 results formed the centerpiece of the entire schedule, drawing 100 competitors into a grueling three-round format. Parker set the tone across the bracket, punctuated by a best single of 6.16 on his way to top honors. Zeke Mackay kept the pressure on through every solve to earn the runner-up spot with a 7.16 average, while Luke Griesser secured the third step on the podium at 7.43. The high standard of classic Rubik's Cube solving showcased the caliber of talent assembled at Fort Wayne Favorites 2023.

Shorter formats produced equally fine margins across the morning. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, Luke Garrett secured victory with a 1.71 average, just edging out Sujan Feist who posted a 1.75 average. Simon Kellum rounded out that podium in third place with a 1.93. Garrett added a second title to his weekend tally in 3x3x3 One-Handed, where his 10.53 winning average was anchored by a sharp 7.75 single in a 28-player field, reinforcing the quick tempo of this speedcubing stop.

Jack Pfeifer orchestrated a commanding sweep across the largest puzzles on the schedule. Pfeifer captured the 5x5x5 Cube title with a 50.99 average, finishing ahead of Griesser at 55.20 and Max Walaszek at 59.47. He extended his dominance to the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:34.42 average and a 1:23.74 best single, then concluded the big-cube triple crown by winning the 7x7x7 Cube in 2:18.41, where Walaszek took second in 3:04.70 and Ivan Krueger placed third in 3:22.92.

Beyond the championship finals, the true depth of this cubing competition was written across the undercard by competitors taking on fresh events and dismantling old marks. Isaac Green improved his Pyraminx personal best by 51.2 percent to 3.97, lowered his Skewb mark to 10.52, and made a first official attempt at Clock with a time of 16.16. AJ Morelli slashed his Pyraminx personal best by 62.1 percent down to 4.59 while also lowering his 2x2x2 mark to 7.07 and his Skewb time to 13.15. Cooper Black dropped his 2x2x2 personal best by 50.7 percent to 6.36 and logged first-ever attempts in both Skewb at 16.66 and Pyraminx at 13.02. Jonah Travis Dutton secured a 13th-place finish in Clock after a debut run of 13.24, entered Pyraminx for the first time at 4.13, and trimmed his 3x3x3 personal best by 39.8 percent to 13.41.

That forward momentum continued through several other four-event schedules across the floor. Ishaan Chinnari achieved a 20th-place best finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 29.81, an improvement of 41.1 percent, alongside debut marks of 1:11.26 in the 4x4x4 Cube and 23.66 in Clock. Michael Hestand climbed to 9th place in Megaminx while cutting his personal best by 36.7 percent to 2:31.00, also logging first attempts in the 2x2x2 Cube at 6.20 and Skewb at 15.81. Peter Wilemon dropped his One-Handed personal best by 33.5 percent to 36.24, made a first 4x4x4 attempt of 1:06.34, and placed 16th in 5x5x5 with a first effort of 2:40.89. Jackson Gunter took on four disciplines, establishing maiden marks of 6.52 in Pyraminx, 26.64 in the 3x3x3 Cube, and 1:48.09 in the 4x4x4 Cube.

Specialist categories brought dramatic finishes throughout the afternoon rotation. In Skewb, Carter Kucala took top honors with a 2.16 average, holding off Kellum at 3.08 and Lucas Lippman-Bruno at 3.76. Clock saw Carter Thomas deliver a winning average of 5.58 ahead of Sebastian Carrillo at 6.41 and Kucala at 6.46. Ezra Shere won Pyraminx with a 1.72 average, Braden Richards claimed the 4x4x4 Cube in 36.24, Evan Wright took Square-1 in 7.66, and Griesser topped the Megaminx standings with a 47.17 average.

Mental discipline was on full display in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where memorization and spatial execution without sight yielded a victory for Zeke Mackay with a best single of 43.56. Justin Sui followed in second place with a 1:22.67 solve, and Krueger took third with 2:23.94. Across all thirteen disciplines, the WCA competition distributed hardware broadly, with competitors representing the United States earning 36 podium places and India securing 3.

The concluding rounds brought a vibrant day of speed cubing to an end as the 2023 season prepared for its final chapters. Fort Wayne Favorites 2023 delivered intense title races, breakout debuts, and high-level consistency across every puzzle size. With top-level marks established across the roster, the stage is set for these competitors as they look toward the upcoming battles of the next campaign.