Guelph 2023

Inside the gymnasium at Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute, tables lined the floor as competitors converged from across Ontario and international borders. Travellers made their journeys across highways and transit routes into Guelph, Ontario, Canada on June 3, 2023, unpacking puzzle bags and settling in for a full schedule of speedcubing. The atmosphere inside the hall reflected the dedication of participants who commuted across regions and flew across continents to put their solving skills to the test at Guelph 2023.

A total of 105 competitors arrived for the single-day WCA competition, creating a busy schedule consisting of 5 events and 10 rounds of official play. Whether making brief trips from neighbouring towns or coordinating long-distance itineraries to represent Canada, Hong Kong, and China, the field brought serious energy to the venue. The standard 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube drew the largest crowd of the weekend, with 103 participants tackling three rounds of intense speed cubing.

When the final round of the classic cube concluded, Jeriel James Thomas secured the top spot on the podium. Thomas delivered a winning average of 6.59 seconds, supported by a rapid best single of 5.66 seconds to lead the 3x3 results. Morgan Yeh kept the pressure high throughout the round, capturing second place with an average of 6.69 seconds. Brennen Lin completed the Canadian sweep of the premier podium, taking third place with a mark of 6.95 seconds.

Lin also proved dominant in the shorter format, capturing the title in the 2x2x2 Cube. Out of 80 competitors across two rounds, Lin posted a 1.85-second winning average alongside a quick single of 1.21. Arhaan Sareen pushed the pace to claim the runner-up position with a 1.94 average, while Andrew Mao finished closely behind in third place at 1.98 seconds. The tight margins at the top demonstrated the precision required on the smaller puzzle.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several participants made substantial strides across their personal records during the competition. Malik Somers brought down their 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 7.55 seconds, which was 53.2 percent faster than their previous mark of 16.12, while also posting a 9.34 Pyraminx best and logging a first official attempt at Skewb in 11.36 seconds. Carl De Groote improved their Skewb personal best to 7.11 seconds, an improvement of 48.8 percent compared to their previous 13.88 mark, in addition to trying the 2x2x2 Cube officially for the first time with a 4.58 single.

First-time event entries and massive breakthroughs continued across the roster throughout the afternoon. Mark Bai lowered their 2x2x2 Cube personal record to 2.48 seconds, running 42.1 percent faster than their past 4.28 best, while making initial event attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube at 2:00.14 and Skewb at 12.26 seconds. Elaina Cecchini dropped their 3x3x3 Cube best to 29.53 seconds, an improvement of 31.5 percent from 43.14, alongside debuting in Pyraminx at 9.12 and 2x2x2 Cube at 10.41. Eden Soref notched an 11th place finish in 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 2.24 seconds, 31.3 percent faster than before, while trying Skewb for the first time at 3.73. First-time competitor Justin Delahunty tackled five events, achieving an 11th place finish in Skewb, a 4.20 single in 2x2x2 Cube, and an 11.88 in 3x3x3 Cube. Fellow newcomer Monty Greenleaf took on five events including a 22.50 Skewb attempt, while Jordan Paul entered four events in their debut, registering a 14.59 Skewb attempt.

The Pyraminx bracket featured 68 competitors across two competitive rounds, where Andrew Mao climbed to the top step. Mao posted a winning average of 2.57 seconds, highlighted by a best single of 2.24 seconds. Ryan Wu secured second place with an average of 3.23 seconds, while Burno Li Chak Kwan earned third place representing Hong Kong with a 3.28 average, adding international representation to the awards presentation.

Burno Li Chak Kwan found the top step later in the day during the 4x4x4 Cube event, leading a field of 54 competitors in a straight final. Li Chak Kwan earned first place with a 28.34 average and a best single of 26.23 seconds. Arhaan Sareen followed in second place with a 29.46 average, while Morgan Yeh completed the podium in third place with a 29.97 average, marking another strong finish for the Ontario host province.

The competition concluded with the Skewb final, where Nicholas Patterson captured the title among 53 participants. Patterson recorded a winning average of 3.92 seconds with a best single of 3.30 seconds. Burno Li Chak Kwan took the runner-up position with an average of 4.07 seconds, and Andrew Mao rounded out the top three at 4.27 seconds, closing out a memorable cubing competition at Guelph 2023.

By the time the final awards were distributed, Canadian competitors had earned 12 podium spots, alongside 3 podium placements secured for Hong Kong. As timers and cubes were packed away, the participants began their return journeys home, carrying new milestones, completed brackets, and lower personal records from an energetic day of official solving.