Holiday Open 2023

Ten fast-paced rounds across four distinct disciplines delivered non-stop action on March 25, 2023, as 79 competitors gathered at the Holiday Lake Estates Civic Association. Unlike events such as Fewest Moves that emphasize deliberate pen-and-paper strategy over an hour of calculation, this speedcubing tournament favored rapid recognition, explosive turning, and immediate tactical execution. Speed cubing in this format challenges solvers to make snap decisions across every scramble, leaving zero room for hesitation from the moment the timer starts.

The Holiday Open 2023 proved to be a showcase of top-tier execution across all four puzzles. Hosted in Holiday, Florida, USA, the gathering brought together competitors from across the region to test their preparation across ten grueling rounds. Every event demanded sharp reflexes and clean mechanical accuracy as competitors cycled through high-stakes brackets throughout the single-day competition.

The headline 3x3x3 Cube contest gathered the entire 79-competitor field through three rounds of intense action. In the final, Katie Hull claimed victory with a decisive winning average of 8.13 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 7.78 seconds. Noah Swor secured second place with an 8.20 average, while Carter Bitz followed closely in third with an 8.26 average. The classic Rubik's Cube final was an extraordinarily tight race, with less than two tenths of a second separating the entire top three.

Noah Swor added personal milestones during the 3x3 results chase, registering marks of 7.59 for single and 8.82 for average. Other notable individual marks on the classic puzzle included Jedrick Remonde posting an 11.52 single and 12.65 average, Ali Aydin Uyar recording an 11.90 single and 12.53 average, Gabriel Nash logging a 13.33 single and 14.39 average, and Brian Zhou achieving a 10.43 single alongside an 11.99 average.

Beyond the main event, Katie Hull doubled her gold tally by conquering the 4x4x4 Cube. Hull captured the title across two rounds against 57 competitors, locking in a winning average of 28.16 seconds and a best single of 26.08 seconds. Carter Bitz took the runner-up spot with an average of 28.41 seconds, while Noah Swor completed the podium in third place with a 32.27 average.

The remaining events brought different structural challenges to the venue tables. In Square-1, Noah Swor topped the 34-competitor lineup with an 8.70 average and a best single of 7.87 seconds, while Katie Hull took second at 13.02 and Sean Hartman placed third at 13.22. Hartman subsequently earned the top step in the Skewb event, navigating three rounds among 62 competitors to win with a 4.89 average and a 3.55 single, ahead of Carter Bitz in second at 5.10 and Daniel Porter in third at 5.46.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule. Brian Zhou entered four events, posting a personal best of 5.97 in Skewb that improved on a previous mark by 70.5 percent, a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 38.56 that was 8 percent faster, a first ever attempt at Square-1 of 20.14, and a 10th-place finish in 4x4x4 Cube. Elliot Yueshan Ma took on two events and recorded a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 7.83, improving by 42.5 percent, alongside a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 54.14. Joshua Bell lowered their 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 35.5 percent to 16.78 and cut their Skewb best by 19.3 percent to 8.73. Owen Page tackled four disciplines, delivering a 30.9 percent improvement to reach a 15.33 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube.

The depth of progress continued with Maximus Vincent securing a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 13.64, a 30.8 percent improvement, while making a first Skewb attempt of 6.53. Xander Lefebvre improved their 4x4x4 Cube best by 27 percent down to 54.87, dropped their 3x3x3 Cube best by 26 percent to 9.89, and logged a first Square-1 attempt of 31.92. Jonathan Pike improved their 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 26.3 percent to 48.96 while attempting Square-1 and Skewb for the first time. Max Lirio took on four events, setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 16.18, representing a 14.8 percent improvement, after recording first attempts in Skewb and Square-1.

The Holiday Open 2023 wrapped up with all twelve podium positions claimed by competitors representing the United States. From newcomers establishing official benchmarks to experienced solvers pushing the boundaries in finals, the WCA competition highlighted the breadth of talent across multiple formats. The single-day cubing competition demonstrated the focus required to excel under pressure, setting a competitive tone for the remainder of the year.