Happy Crew Cubing CO 2023

Eighty-seven competitors converged on Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA on February 25, 2023, making journeys across the region to test their solving speed against the clock. Hosted at Mountainview Christian Church, Happy Crew Cubing CO 2023 delivered ten rounds of intense action across five official events. Solvers traveled in from various parts of the state and beyond, bringing a high level of preparation to the tables for a packed single-day cubing competition that drew both seasoned champions and fresh newcomers.

The centerpiece 3x3x3 Cube drew an impressive field of 86 participants across three full rounds of head-to-head racing. Speedcubing standout Jacob Nokes asserted control over the main Rubik's Cube division, taking first place with a winning average of 7.55 seconds alongside the fastest single solve of the event at 7.05 seconds. Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel claimed the second step on the podium with an average of 9.22 seconds, while Jacob Fleishauer secured third place with an average mark of 9.51 seconds in the final round of the classic speed cubing challenge.

The 3x3 results formed only one part of an extraordinary day for Jacob Nokes, who captured top honors in three separate disciplines. In the 4x4x4 Cube, which featured 60 competitors over two rounds, Nokes finished first with an average of 30.94 seconds and a best single time of 28.02 seconds. Raymos Castillo took the runner-up position with an average of 36.39 seconds, and Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel earned another podium place by taking third with a final average of 40.87 seconds.

Big cubes proved to be another dominant arena for Nokes during his multi-event campaign. In the demanding 7x7x7 Cube contest, where 28 competitors tackled two rounds of extended solves, Nokes took first place with a winning average of 2:25.82 and a single of 2:08.76. Raymos Castillo earned his second silver of the day with an average of 2:59.70, while Oliver Michael Sitja Sichel claimed his third podium finish of the tournament by capturing third place with an average of 3:43.37.

The side events provided dynamic drama as specialists battled through their brackets. Skewb brought 66 competitors to the floor, where Raymos Castillo emerged victorious with a winning average of 4.69 seconds and a single of 3.33 seconds. Castillo narrowly held off Alex Walker, who finished second with a 4.75-second average, and Addison Dean, who posted a 5.55-second average for third. Meanwhile, Clock featured 47 entrants across a single decisive round, where Miles Walcott earned the victory with a 5.53-second average and a 5.26 single, finishing ahead of Olivia Schroeder at 7.82 seconds and Junior Solis at 8.26 seconds.

Away from the title races, many competitors marked the journey with massive personal breakthroughs and new milestones on the official stage. Dax Pedotto delivered one of the weekend's largest gains, recording a 3x3x3 personal best single of 49.29 seconds, which cut 36.6 percent off a previous best of 1:17.71, while also logging a first official attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 4:45.18. Nathan Slack also enjoyed major drops, clocking a 4x4x4 personal best of 57.24 seconds for a 32.3 percent improvement and a 3x3x3 personal best single of 14.18 seconds, improving by 24.2 percent. Max Ashley shaved 26.7 percent off his 4x4x4 best to reach 1:42.97 and dropped 22.9 percent in 3x3x3 to hit 17.19 seconds.

New puzzle debuts defined the day for several dedicated entrants who expanded their repertoires across multiple disciplines. Duncan Larson took a 26.5 percent leap forward in Skewb with a personal best of 10.28 seconds, improved his 3x3x3 mark by 12.4 percent down to 26.38 seconds, and logged a first official 4x4x4 attempt of 2:51.96. Riley Jacques secured a sixth-place finish in Skewb while notching a personal best of 3.40 seconds, alongside first attempts in 7x7x7 at 8:15.66 and 4x4x4 at 1:07.10. William Ralston registered a 19.3 percent improvement in 3x3x3 with an 18.07 single and made maiden attempts in Skewb and 4x4x4. Taking on their first official WCA competition, Thomas McCrill entered four events with a 40.52 single in 3x3x3, while Jalyn Tresvant recorded an opening mark of 17.97 seconds in 3x3x3 across three events.

The day concluded with all fifteen available podium positions awarded to United States competitors, wrapping up a memorable edition of Happy Crew Cubing CO 2023. From the travelers who logged miles to reach Highlands Ranch to the competitors testing new events for the very first time, the tournament demonstrated the depth and energy of the Rocky Mountain speedcubing scene.