Ho'oholo in Honolulu 2023

75 competitors crossed oceans and islands to gather in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on September 23, 2023, converging on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for a packed single-day program. Bringing talent across the Pacific, Ho'oholo in Honolulu 2023 drew an ambitious roster that included international representation from Japan alongside solvers across the United States. Travelling to an island venue demands exceptional commitment, yet every participant arrived ready to contest 12 rounds across 6 diverse events in this high-energy speedcubing fixture.

The premier event delivered incredible drama as Matty Hiroto Inaba commanded the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube with unmatched speed. Inaba topped a field of 75 solvers across 3 rounds, sealing victory with a world-class 5.60 winning average and an event-best single solve of 5.11. Japan's Yoji Ogura made the long trek across the Pacific pay off by securing second place with a 7.90 average, while Jonathan Truchot took third on the podium with an 8.39 mark in the final 3x3 results.

Inaba extended his dominance well beyond the classic puzzle, completing a sweep of every multi-layered cube on the schedule at Ho'oholo in Honolulu 2023. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Inaba posted a winning average of 26.29 and the fastest single of 23.32, holding off Truchot, who took second at 29.99, and Braden Richards in third at 37.20. Moving up to the 5x5x5 Cube, Inaba secured another gold medal with an average of 47.87 and a single of 45.10, leading Truchot at 1:06.11 and Richards at 1:09.94.

One-handed solving provided another stage for Inaba to demonstrate remarkable versatility in this WCA competition. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed event, Inaba took top honours with an average of 12.63 and a 10.29 single across 2 rounds of action. Richards collected the silver medal with a 16.60 average, while Truchot added another podium finish to his tally by claiming bronze with 17.84, confirming the trio as the weekend's most prolific podium contenders.

Side events offered exciting variety as non-NxN disciplines took centre stage in the afternoon sessions. Braden Richards captured the Pyraminx title with a swift 3.36 winning average and a 2.12 single, outpacing Lucas Aubin at 4.03 and Evan Millsap at 5.47. In Skewb, Taj Bressert edged out a tightly packed final round to win with an average of 4.52 and a 3.43 single, finishing ahead of Richards at 4.83 and Truchot at 4.88 in a vibrant display of speed cubing prowess.

Beyond the championship podiums, the event highlighted massive individual breakthroughs from dedicated solvers throughout the bracket. Kaimana N. Higa entered 5 events and recorded a spectacular 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 27.14, cutting 58.6 percent off their previous mark, alongside a 21.9 percent drop in Skewb to 10.09 and a 15.1 percent improvement in Pyraminx to 6.25. Kyson Arizala tackled 2 events and chopped 48.2 percent off their previous Skewb best to record a 6.35, while Kealoha Morimoto took on 6 events, achieving a 40.3 percent improvement in 4x4x4 Cube with 1:06.62, a 36.5 percent drop in Pyraminx to 4.94, and a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 2:28.46.

Fresh milestones continued across every station as seasoned competitors and newcomers alike expanded their official repertoires at Ho'oholo in Honolulu 2023. Joseph Carrillo entered 5 events, shaving 37.6 percent off their 4x4x4 Cube mark with 2:27.89 while logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 1:13.89. Payton Corey entered 6 events, recording first ever attempts in Pyraminx with 5.68, 4x4x4 Cube with 1:44.33, and 5x5x5 Cube with 2:55.26. Zack Halsall took on 6 events, logging first ever marks in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:00.18 and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:01.76, while Bennett Tice posted a first ever 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 46.23 across 3 events, and Barton Felipe made their official cubing competition debut by competing in 4 events, highlighted by a first ever 3x3x3 Cube solve of 12.70.

The gathering in Honolulu concluded with the United States collecting 17 total podium places and Japan earning 1, celebrating an unforgettable day of competition at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Solvers packed up their puzzles having tested themselves against elite standards and celebrated numerous personal triumphs across all 12 rounds. Ho'oholo in Honolulu 2023 delivered everything island speedcubing promises, setting a high standard for competitors as they prepare for the next season of racing against the clock.