Kanazawa Challenge Spring AM 2023

Inside the halls of the youth exchange center in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, morning sunlight met the quiet, steady click of turning plastic on May 27, 2023. Twenty-four competitors arrived prepared for a focused, fast-moving morning program across two core disciplines. Every solve carried magnified weight because there was only one round scheduled per event, meaning every turn of the layer directly dictated the final podium placements before midday arrived.

The morning reached its absolute peak of tension in the 3x3x3 Cube, where the top two competitors engaged in one of the tightest finishes seen in recent speedcubing memory. Yu Sajima secured the gold medal with a winning average of 9.03 seconds, but he was pushed to the absolute limit. Taiga Takaoka finished mere fractions behind, delivering a 9.05 average to capture second place by a paper-thin margin of two hundredths of a second.

That razor-thin duel defined the 3x3 results at Kanazawa Challenge Spring AM 2023, where third place went to Sota Nakamura with an 11.92 average. Sajima also posted the fastest single solve of the entire discipline at 7.30 seconds, demonstrating the sharp execution needed to withstand Takaoka's relentless pressure. Across a field of 23 competitors, the Rubik's Cube final proved that a single hesitation or lockup could completely reshape the standings.

The 2x2x2 Cube showdown delivered an equally fierce contest across the podium steps. Kian Ezekiel Castigador of the Philippines claimed victory with a 4.41 winning average and a best single of 3.53 seconds. Sajima was right behind him once again, earning second place with a 4.53 average, while Takuma Shirahase took the third step on the podium with a 4.57 average. In total, only sixteen hundredths of a second separated first place from third place in the event.

Beyond the fight for medals, the gathering offered meaningful milestones for competitors taking on new challenges. Daiki Nishii entered two events, logging his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.29 single on his way to a 6th-place finish, alongside a massive 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 14.13 seconds, which was 48.6% faster than his previous mark. Yuta Hara also took on two events, placing 4th in 2x2x2 Cube with a first attempt of 4.22 seconds and lowering his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 12.83 seconds, an improvement of 10.3%.

Other competitors similarly made the most of their morning appearances. Kentaro Kurosawa tackled two events, posting a first attempt of 4.87 in 2x2x2 Cube and finishing 9th in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 12.96 seconds, which was 8% faster than before. Sowon Lee took on two events and recorded a first attempt of 11.10 in 2x2x2 Cube to finish 16th. Yusuke Kosaka entered 2x2x2 Cube and finished 8th behind a first attempt of 4.15 seconds, while Takashi Takaoka secured 16th in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 23.59 seconds, 4.9% faster. Ryutaro Miyazaki took 9th in 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 4.99 seconds, 3.9% faster, and Toshio Hoshino rounded out his two events by finishing 13th in 2x2x2 Cube.

The official ledger at this WCA competition recorded several notable benchmark marks. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Takuma Shirahase registered a 3.47 single and 4.57 average, Yuhi Okino delivered a 7.71 single and 12.40 average, and Daiki Nishii registered a 4.29 single and 5.22 average. Castigador logged a 3.53 single and 4.41 average, Sowon Lee posted an 11.10 single and 14.37 average, and Sajima recorded a blazing 2.83 single alongside his 4.53 average.

Additional 2x2x2 marks were set throughout the bracket, as Fumika Hoshino earned a 4.51 single and 5.72 average, Takumi Tamura posted a 4.41 single and 4.97 average, Yuta Hara achieved a 4.22 single and 4.74 average, and Eriya Watanabe completed his runs with an 8.34 single and 12.37 average. Overall, Japan earned five podium places across the morning, while the Philippines claimed one.

As the final timers were cleared, Kanazawa Challenge Spring AM 2023 demonstrated the captivating intensity of short-format speed cubing. With only two rounds contested across two events, the competitors made every second count, proving how fine the margins can be at an official cubing competition when the title hangs on mere hundredths.

24人のスピードキューバーが集結した金沢市長土塀青少年交流センターでは、温かな交流と競技の熱気が交差しました。2023年5月27日にKanazawa Challenge Spring AM 2023が開催され、会場となったKanazawa, Ishikawa, Japanには各地から愛好者が集い、ルービックキューブの技術を競い合いました。

今大会ではスピードキュービングの定番である2種目が実施され、参加者同士が解法や手順を教え合う場面も見られました。競技の合間には互いのキューブを試したり談笑したりする姿が広がり、緊迫した計測の瞬間と和やかなコミュニティの雰囲気が見事に調和していました。

メイン種目の3x3x3 Cubeでは佐島優 (Yu Sajima)が見事な実力を発揮しました。1ラウンド勝負のプレッシャーの中、単発記録7.30をマークしつつ平均9.03を揃えて見事に優勝を飾りました。2位の高岡汰虎 (Taiga Takaoka)も平均9.05で肉薄し、3位には平均11.92の中村荘太 (Sota Nakamura)が入りました。

2x2x2 Cubeの決勝ラウンドではKian Ezekiel Castigadorが素晴らしい安定感を見せました。単発3.53を含む平均4.41を記録して優勝を果たしました。僅差の2位には平均4.53の佐島優 (Yu Sajima)、3位には単発3.47と平均4.57を記録した白波瀬拓磨 (Takuma Shirahase)が表彰台に登りました。

公式記録の行方だけでなく、日頃の練習の成果を試す場としての輝きも大会の大きな魅力です。初参加となった渡邉領耶 (Eriya Watanabe)は2種目に出場し、3x3x3 Cubeの初計測で40.26、2x2x2 Cubeで8.34を記録して2x2x2 Cubeで14位となりました。同じく初挑戦の沖野祐飛 (Yuhi Okino)は2種目に挑み、3x3x3 Cubeで31.16、2x2x2 Cubeで7.71を刻んで15位に入りました。鈴木開晴 (Kaisei Suzuki)は初の公式大会で2種目にエントリーし、2x2x2 Cubeで5.40、3x3x3 Cubeで13.34をマークして3x3x3 Cubeで7位の好位置につけました。武野海砂輝 (Misaki Buno)は3x3x3 Cubeに初出場して16.05を記録し12位、伊藤彰夫 (Akio Ito)も同種目の初計測で23.62を記録して17位で完走しました。

長年コミュニティを支える選手たちも素晴らしい存在感を示しました。通算20大会目の出場となった星野史佳 (Fumika Hoshino)は2種目に出場し、3x3x3 Cubeで4位と上位に食い込みました。40大会の経験を持つ大島一晃 (Kazuaki Oshima)は2種目にエントリーし、3x3x3 Cubeで10位の好成績を残しました。さらに104大会のキャリアを誇る田村匠 (Takumi Tamura)は2種目に挑戦し、2x2x2 Cubeで5位に入賞するなど、それぞれの歩みが記録に刻まれました。

この日は多くの個人新記録も誕生し、西井大貴 (Daiki Nishii)が2x2x2 Cubeで単発4.29と平均5.22、原裕汰 (Yuta Hara)が単発4.22と平均4.74を記録しました。韓国から参加したSowon Leeも単発11.10と平均14.37を残すなど、各地からの遠征組も確かな足跡を残しました。

2つの種目で全2ラウンドが行われたKanazawa Challenge Spring AM 2023は、キューブを通じた友情と情熱が存分に感じられる半日となりました。参加者たちは互いの好記録を称え合い、次なるキューブ大会での再会を約束しながら会場を後にしました。