Icelandic Nationals 2023

Fifty-four competitors gathered for a remarkable demonstration of speed cubing prowess in Reykjavík, Iceland. Icelandic Nationals 2023 took place from September 15 to September 17, 2023, drawing a diverse field to the Reykjavík University campus for three days of intense solving. Across the 15 events offered, competitors contested 21 rounds, turning out times that set a high standard for the region. The weekend proved a celebration of personal bests, with many participants finding new limits to their speed.

The 3x3x3 Cube event anchored the competition, attracting 50 entrants. After three rounds of competition, Óskar Pétursson emerged victorious, claiming the title with a winning average of 8.22 seconds and a best single solve of 7.44 seconds. Duncan Kimmett of the USA took second place with a 9.97 average, while Kári Einarsson secured third with a 12.34 average. The 3x3 results demonstrated a clear gap at the top, though the battle for podium places remained fiercely contested throughout the weekend.

Óskar Pétursson's dominance extended well beyond the standard Rubik's Cube. The Icelandic speedcubing standout secured victories in four other events across the competition. In the 2x2x2 Cube, he achieved an average of 2.20 seconds, paired with a best single of 1.53 seconds. He also triumphed in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 39.44 average, the Pyraminx with a 4.66 average, and the Skewb with a 7.05 average. He also claimed the 3x3x3 One-Handed title, averaging 17.53 seconds.

Lydia Workman arrived from the USA and took control of the larger puzzles at Icelandic Nationals 2023. She secured the 5x5x5 Cube title with an average of 1:08.83, the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:49.21 average, and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:48.23 average. Furthermore, she proved unbeatable in the Square-1 event, averaging 22.48 seconds, and the Megaminx, winning with an average of 1:22.23. Her performance added a significant international element to the competition.

The blindfolded events test both memory and execution under pressure. Abdullah Gulab of Pakistan swept these disciplines at the WCA competition, winning the 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 1:41.73 average and taking the solitary entry in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a best single of 10:16.00. He also won the Clock event, averaging 9.55 seconds. Elsewhere, Vincenzo Maria Gammino claimed victory in the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves challenge, recording a best single of 37 moves.

The results table only tells part of the story, as competitors throughout the field achieved significant personal breakthroughs. Ólafur Jan Bartoszek slashed his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 4.29 seconds, a 59.6 percent improvement, and logged his first ever attempt at Pyraminx. Steingrímur Ari Helgason improved his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 58.2 percent to 24.43 seconds. Kjartan Pétur Hannesson achieved a 46.9 percent improvement in his Pyraminx personal best, bringing it down to 12.48 seconds.

The personal achievements continued across the entry list. Magnús Thor Holloway competed in 13 events, including his first ever attempt at Megaminx, and finished fourth in the 3x3x3 Cube. Kristján G. Hirlekar improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 33 percent to 32.10 seconds. Vésteinn Sigurgeirsson tackled 11 events, logging a 23.72 in his first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube. Garðar Þór Jónsson took on 12 events, including his first ever attempt at the 7x7x7 Cube. Björn Jón Gústafsson finished fifth in Clock, recording a 16.77 in his first ever attempt at the event.

The 2023 edition of the event highlighted a growing enthusiasm for the sport in the region. Icelandic competitors claimed 23 podium places, setting numerous national records in the 2x2x2 Cube event. The USA, Italy, and Pakistan also saw their representatives feature heavily on the podiums. As the weekend concluded, the focus for many naturally turned to analysing their solves and preparing for the next cubing competition on the calendar.