Imaginaire Quebec 2023

The retail floor at Boutique Imaginaire de Laurier was transformed into a buzzing arena of turning plastic and ticking timers as Imaginaire Quebec 2023 welcomed solvers to Québec, Quebec, Canada. Spanning September 30 to October 1, 2023, the venue provided a vibrant backdrop for the gathering. Speedcubing enthusiasts, families, and casual shoppers alike watched the tables fill with competitors ready to test their agility across eight different disciplines.

A total of 62 competitors stepped up over the course of 16 rounds across the two-day cubing competition. The setting inside the specialty store brought a distinct community energy to the proceedings. From standard Rubik's Cube matchups to complex twisty puzzles, the tournament offered a packed schedule of speed cubing action where every turn of the layers counted toward advancement.

The classic 3x3x3 Cube drew the largest crowd of the weekend, with 60 competitors battling through three rounds of play. Benjamin Kyle emerged on top to claim victory in the main event, posting a winning average of 8.77 seconds to go along with a best single time of 6.96. The 3x3 results saw Clément Lefeuvre take second place with an average of 9.03, while Albert Sanhueza Theriault rounded out the podium in third with an average of 9.18.

Benjamin Kyle also claimed gold in the Pyraminx event, sealing the top spot with a 2.95 average and a tournament-best single solve of 2.00 seconds across two rounds. Rémi Chrétien followed in second place with an average of 4.39, while Albert Sanhueza Theriault secured third with 4.60. Rémi Chrétien had his own golden moment in the 2x2x2 Cube final, posting a winning 2.04 average and a 1.41 single solve to lead Benjamin Kyle and Louis-Alex Tremblay on the podium.

Louis-Alex Tremblay assembled a remarkably dominant weekend across multiple formats at Imaginaire Quebec 2023. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Tremblay captured first place with an average of 38.67 seconds and a fast single of 37.14, outperforming Albert Sanhueza Theriault and Alexandre Ondet. Tremblay went on to secure a second gold in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 17.64, before capping off his haul with a win in Square-1 courtesy of a 15.81 winning average.

Beyond the top podium steps, the heart of this WCA competition belonged to personal growth and daring new ventures. Alexandre Tremblay slashed his 3x3x3 Cube personal best down to 16.48 seconds, an improvement of 56.8 percent compared to his prior mark of 38.18, alongside his first ever attempt at the 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 7.02. Tomas Benjamín Trani took on six events and delivered an impressive 55.8 percent drop on his Pyraminx personal best with a 6.21 single, while also finishing 7th in the 3x3x3 Cube. Brenda Simard showed remarkable progress in Skewb, cutting her personal best by 52.6 percent down to 12.03 seconds. Elouan Mounier tackled eight different events, achieving a 4th-place best finish in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a 2.13 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube that was 45.4 percent faster, and making his first ever attempts at Megaminx in 2:25.08 and Square-1 in 21.93.

The momentum continued as several solvers explored entirely new competitive territory. Marcus Landry improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 40.4 percent with a 5.57 single while contesting three events. Adèle Senécal earned a 4th-place best finish in Pyraminx with a personal best of 4.45 seconds, improved her 2x2x2 Cube mark to 4.40, and registered her first ever attempt at Megaminx in 2:47.36. Raphael Fournier took on seven events, recording a 9th-place best finish in Skewb with an 8.66 first-ever solve, while also making first attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed and Pyraminx. Oziel Raymond completed six events, placing 9th in 3x3x3 One-Handed on a first attempt of 28.85 seconds, alongside maiden attempts in Pyraminx and Skewb.

The remaining puzzle categories at Imaginaire Quebec 2023 produced sharp competition throughout Sunday afternoon. Jack Chicoine captured the Skewb championship with a winning average of 5.10 seconds, besting Rémi Chrétien and Albert Sanhueza Theriault. In the twelve-sided Megaminx event, Albert Sanhueza Theriault took the top prize with an average of 1:04.86 and a single of 56.71, finishing ahead of Louis-Alex Tremblay and Matt Hudon to complete another thrilling chapter in provincial cubing.

Across eight events and multiple rounds of play, Canadian solvers earned 21 total podium positions while French competitors claimed 3. The lively retail venue in Québec offered a memorable setting for both seasoned podium contenders and emerging solvers testing their skills for the first time as the competitive year advanced toward the next season.