It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2023

CJ Furey delivered a commanding series of performances across two days of action at the Abbey Court Hotel, claiming multiple titles and establishing himself as the standout performer of the weekend. In the main event, the classic 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, Furey posted an elite winning average of 8.54 seconds across three rounds, backed by a blistering best single solve of 6.76 seconds. His mastery was not limited to the standard puzzle, as he also secured top honours in the 2x2x2 Cube with a winning average of 2.90 seconds, setting the tone for an exceptional competition.

The gathering brought 86 competitors to Nenagh, Ireland from May 13 to May 14 for It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2023. Over the course of 19 rounds across nine distinct events, the tournament showcased high-level speedcubing across puzzles of every size and shape. Furey was present near the top of almost every standings board, adding a runner-up finish in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 43.91 average, a second-place finish in Pyraminx averaging 5.23 seconds, and a third-place podium spot in the 5x5x5 Cube with an average of 1:31.85.

In the premier 3x3 results, Furey was joined on the podium by Iollan Walsh, who secured second place with an average of 9.14 seconds, and Eric Quinn, who took third in 10.90 seconds. Quinn enjoyed his own sensational weekend in the larger twisty puzzles, securing a pair of victories. He captured the 4x4x4 Cube title with a winning average of 43.65 seconds, narrowly holding off Furey, and dominated the 5x5x5 Cube with a winning mark of 1:26.56, where he also produced a tournament-best single solve of 1:22.49.

The big cube contests provided plenty of drama for the assembled speed cubing contingent in County Tipperary. Tang Yui Chit earned victory in the 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 2:56.18 and a single of 2:43.79 to finish ahead of Ben Timmons and Conor Reilly. Tang also took second place in the 5x5x5 Cube behind Quinn. In the massive 7x7x7 Cube, Timmons took the title with an average of 4:30.98, highlighted by a single of 4:08.85, adding to his busy weekend that also yielded podium finishes in Clock and 4x4x4.

Speciality events added further variety to the schedule at It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2023. William Carey claimed two separate victories, winning the Skewb final with an average of 3.45 seconds over Cathal Burke and Ronan Finke, before taking the Clock title with an average of 8.71 seconds ahead of Ben Timmons. The Pyraminx championship went to Conor Ryan McMorrow, whose winning average of 4.27 seconds edged out Furey and Finke in a closely contested final round featuring 64 competitors.

Beyond the podium battles, this WCA competition saw dozens of remarkable individual achievements throughout the field. Olivia Ormond produced an astonishing 77.7 percent drop in the 2x2x2 Cube to set a personal best of 1.82 seconds. Patryk Nowak took on three events and slashed 75.2 percent off his 2x2x2 best with a 1.88 single, while Gabriella Pita entered four events and lowered her 2x2x2 best by 72.9 percent to 2.29 seconds alongside a 20.46 personal best in 3x3x3. Aran Mitchell tackled five events, recording his first ever attempt at Skewb in 8.17 seconds and cutting his 2x2x2 best by 70.6 percent to 1.11 seconds.

Progress across new disciplines was equally evident throughout the Abbey Court Hotel venue. James Hughes competed in seven events, logging his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube in 3:46.08 and achieving a 70.3 percent improvement in 2x2x2 with a 1.67 single. Edvin Kurjak achieved a best finish of 9th in 2x2x2, lowered his 4x4x4 mark by 25.1 percent to 1:11.04, and posted his first ever 5x5x5 Cube solve of 3:29.78. Meanwhile, Leon Wang marked his first WCA competition by entering six events, recording first attempts of 1:41.70 in 4x4x4, 12.66 in Pyraminx, and 25.00 in Clock, while Aron Gohil also made his tournament debut across four events with initial marks in Pyraminx, Skewb, and 2x2x2.

When the final solves concluded at It's a Long Way to Tipperary 2023, Irish competitors had claimed 25 podium positions across nine events, alongside two podium spots for Hong Kong. From CJ Furey setting the standard on the main stage to dozens of personal breakthroughs across all rounds, the 2023 cubing competition in Nenagh served as a memorable showcase of skill and dedication as the season moves onward.