I Hope It's Solved Calgary 2023
Sign in to follow3x3x3 Blindfolded podium
Winners
All results- 3x3x3 BlindfoldedJake Klassen20.04
- 3x3x3 Fewest MovesEthan Basanov33.67
- 4x4x4 BlindfoldedDanny Buschert17:57.00
- 5x5x5 BlindfoldedDanny Buschert46:28.00
- 3x3x3 Multi-BlindJake Klassen11/12 in 34:14
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Competition recap
A written summary of I Hope It's Solved Calgary 2023, generated from the official results on this page.
High-Stakes Formats Test Nerves at I Hope It's Solved Calgary 2023English
A single misstep in a mean-of-three format can erase an entire weekend of preparation, turning what might have been a podium run into a Did Not Finish. At I Hope It's Solved Calgary 2023, the margins could not have been narrower. Over two days of intense competition from March 4 to March 5, 2023, seventeen dedicated competitors gathered at the Palliser Bayview Pumphill Community Association in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With five niche events contested across six rounds, the gathering placed the spotlight squarely on blindfolded precision and analytical disciplines where every single execution had to be perfect to secure a valid overall average.
The unforgiving nature of these formats was on full display in 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded, where only one solver managed to post a successful time. Danny Buschert conquered the grueling challenges, securing victory in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a single of 17:57.00 while the other six entrants recorded DNFs. In 5x5x5 Blindfolded, Buschert repeated the feat by logging a winning mark of 46:28.00 as his fellow competitors fell short of a completion. Without the luxury of dropping a worst solve, big cube blindfolded events demand utter accuracy, making Buschert's twin triumphs a masterclass in steadiness.
The 3x3x3 Fewest Moves discipline required an entirely different style of concentration, demanding that solvers systematically unravel the Rubik's Cube with the fewest possible turns. Ethan Basanov topped the field of fifteen participants across one calculated round, posting a winning average of 33.67 moves alongside the weekend's best single of 28. Basanov finished ahead of Alex Mutch, who took second place with a 39.33 average, and Danny Buschert, who earned third place with an average of 40.00 moves. The event showcased the rigorous efficiency needed across three separate attempts.
Memory and rapid recall defined 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where Jake Klassen delivered a commanding display across two rounds. Klassen secured top honors in the final round with a single solve of 20.04 seconds, leading a podium that included Daniel Welsh in second place at 2:11.62 and Alex Mutch in third at 2:56.18. Klassen also recorded an earlier single of 19.22 and a mean average of 22.65 seconds during the event. For enthusiasts tracking blindfolded 3x3 results, the contrast between ultra-fast singles and the threat of a missed cycle made every solve compelling.
Klassen extended his winning ways into 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, an event that tests pure endurance and memory retention. Solving 11 out of 12 cubes in a time of 34:14, Klassen took first place ahead of seven other competitors. Danny Buschert claimed the runner-up spot by successfully completing all 7 of his 7 cubes in 56:45, while James Deibert earned third place by solving 2 out of 2 cubes in 9:23. The high-risk nature of multiblind gave spectators at I Hope It's Solved Calgary 2023 a glimpse into the extremes of speedcubing stamina.
Beyond the podium battles, several participants made substantial breakthroughs in events they had never previously attempted. Denis Reimer lowered his personal best in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves to 51, improving his previous benchmark of 60 by 15 percent across three entered events, and took sixth in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Ryan Yasinko brought his 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best down to 33, an 8.3 percent improvement over his earlier mark of 36, finishing seventh. Anthony Finnigan tackled two events, logging his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 50 and his first ever 3x3x3 Blindfolded attempt at 12:11.00 to finish sixth. Kabeer Haider took on three events, posting a 41 in his first ever 3x3x3 Fewest Moves attempt and finishing sixth in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind.
Other competitors also made their mark across the roster. Sidakveer Kaura took on 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, recording a 44 in his first ever attempt in the discipline to finish 11th. Kabir Johal entered 3x3x3 Fewest Moves and secured a 4th place finish. Ethan Wang competed in two events at the tournament, earning a best finish of 14th in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Nicholas Sanden rounded out the field by entering 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, finishing 14th. Their efforts showed the breadth of commitment across every tier of the cubing competition.
With Canadian solvers sweeping all 19 available podium positions, the gathering served as a sharp reminder of how demanding specialty formats can be. Every turn in speed cubing carries weight, but in blindfolded and fewest moves disciplines, that pressure is amplified threefold. As the competitors depart Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the lessons learned at I Hope It's Solved Calgary 2023 will undoubtedly shape their preparation for the next cycle of the WCA competition calendar.