Hilliard Hippocampus IV 2023

Inside a private residence in Hilliard, Ohio, USA, a compact lineup of solvers gathered around the tables on April 27, 2023. Rows of scrambled puzzles sat waiting beneath covers as competitors readied their timers and blindfolds for a specialized test of spatial memory and precise execution. The quiet setting of this focused WCA competition provided an intense backdrop for the blindfolded solving disciplines, where every single move is committed to memory before the execution phase begins.

Although the roster at Hilliard Hippocampus IV 2023 numbered just eight competitors, the one-day gathering drew seasoned participants alongside those taking on demanding specialist challenges. A total of two events across two rounds filled the schedule, giving blindfolded specialists a concentrated platform to test their limits. While many open tournaments draw massive crowds chasing standard 3x3 results, this selective cubing competition prioritized deep focus in the most mentally grueling disciplines in the sport of speedcubing.

The 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event brought seven competitors to the tables, each attempting to memorize and solve multiple puzzles in a single sixty-minute attempt. Stanley Chapel secured the top spot on the podium with a world-class performance, successfully solving 43 out of 46 cubes in a time of 56:38. His mastery over the classic Rubik's Cube mechanism without visual feedback delivered the defining result of the round, navigating dozens of individual puzzles under strict time limits.

Chasing Chapel in the multi-blind discipline, Mason Langenderfer earned second place by completing 19 out of 21 cubes within 54:20. Ivan Krueger rounded out the podium positions, finishing in third place with a solid result of 7 out of 9 puzzles solved in 57:06. Further down the standings, Braden Richards registered 4 out of 7 cubes in 34:26, while Rowe Hessler attempted an ambitious 60 puzzles, successfully restoring 32 in 1:00:02. Donna Krueger also logged a completed tally, finishing 4 out of 8 cubes in exactly 1:00:00.

Beyond the podium battles, the quiet dedication of competitors working through difficult attempts formed an essential part of the story. Jeriyah Griffin, competing in his 21st career tournament, took on the single event of 3x3x3 Multi-Blind and finished in 7th place after a full-effort attempt. Meanwhile, Donna Krueger took on both disciplines on the schedule, putting down an official 4/8 result in multi-blind while also lining up for the demanding big-cube blindfolded challenge. These determined efforts represented the grit embedded throughout the weekend bracket.

The 5x5x5 Blindfolded contest presented an even steeper technical hurdle for the field of seven entrants, requiring extensive memorization of edge pieces, corners, and centers. Mason Langenderfer proved to be the sole competitor to log a successful solve during the round. Langenderfer locked in first place with a single time of 9:56.61, standing alone atop the podium as the only solver to master the massive puzzle without sight during the round.

The unforgiving nature of the 5x5x5 Blindfolded discipline was evident across the rest of the scorecard, where six entrants recorded DNFs on their attempts. Rowe Hessler, Donna Krueger, Stanley Chapel, Ivan Krueger, Braden Richards, and Howie Craig all pushed their limits on the complex five-layered puzzle but were unable to log a completed time. The harsh margin between a finished solve and a single misplaced piece remains the trademark of high-stakes speed cubing at this scale.

With ten total podium places awarded across the two disciplines, all going to solvers representing the USA, the event concluded as a tight showcase of memory sports. Hilliard Hippocampus IV 2023 wrapped up its schedule on April 27 having delivered exceptional tallies in multi-blind and a sub-ten-minute victory in five-layered blind solving. Solvers will carry the lessons from these rounds into the next season of competitive blindfolded solving.

The focused environment at Hilliard Hippocampus IV 2023 proved that even the smallest private venues can host remarkable achievements in the wider world of speedcubing. As the competition concluded in Hilliard, Ohio, USA, the eight competitors left behind a compact but memorable day of memory-intensive solving, marked by Chapel's 43-point multi-blind masterclass and Langenderfer's solo triumph on the 5x5x5.