Kanazawa Challenge Spring PM 2023

Amey Gaba secured a clean sweep at Kanazawa Challenge Spring PM 2023, capturing first place in both events on the schedule and putting up the fastest single solve of the entire day with a 7.90 in the classic puzzle. Held on May 27, 2023, at the youth exchange venue in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, this compact WCA competition brought together 44 competitors across two focused events. With only a single round for each discipline, every turn mattered from the opening scramble, pushing competitors to deliver peak performances under intense pressure.

Across the two brackets, standard and larger Rubik's Cube variations saw intense action and a flurry of new benchmarks. The single-round structure left no room for cautious testing or second chances, demanding immediate accuracy. Competitors throughout the field capitalized on the efficient schedule, generating a cascade of personal bests and landmark solves that rewarded technical precision. In total, Japanese solvers took home four podium placements across the tournament, while India claimed two top spots courtesy of Gaba's dominant runs in both puzzles.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a large field of 43 competitors, each battling for top rank on the scoresheet. Amey Gaba of India set the pace with an 8.58 winning average, backed by that blistering 7.90 best single solve. Japan's Kazuya Ishii secured second place with a 9.06 average, closely followed by Yudai Naito in third position at 9.18. The official 3x3 results demonstrated fierce competition right down to fractional margins, proving how competitive the speedcubing community remains in Ishikawa throughout the 2023 season.

In the 4x4x4 Cube contest, 29 solvers took to the tables for a direct final round. Amey Gaba once again stood atop the standings, recording a winning average of 32.26 and a best single of 27.90 to complete the double victory. Kohdai Kusatani of Japan claimed the runner-up spot on the podium with a solid 33.37 average, while Yuki Nomura clinched third with a 34.54 mark. The speed cubing prowess on display across the larger four-layered puzzle rounded out an exceptional afternoon of head-to-head racing.

Beyond the podium battles, Kanazawa Challenge Spring PM 2023 served as a launchpad for remarkable progress throughout the ranks. Yuhi Kohno delivered one of the weekend's most impressive leaps in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a personal best of 13.36 to finish 30.8 percent faster than his previous mark of 19.32. Tsuyoshi Yamashita also showcased massive gains, taking on two events and slicing 29.2 percent off his 3x3x3 best with a 13.19 single while completing his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 42.79 to earn 18th place. Daisuke Kochi brought his extensive experience across two events, knocking 19.3 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube mark with a new personal best of 52.04 and finishing 20th in the main event.

Breakthrough attempts continued across the roster as multiple competitors explored new territory. Takumi Kondo entered two events and achieved a 3x3x3 personal best of 10.84, which was 18.6 percent faster than his previous standard, while also recording his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 51.59 to finish 16th overall. Riku Koshizaki entered two events and improved his 3x3x3 best by 11.8 percent to 8.06 for an 11th-place finish alongside his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube at 39.77. Tomoki Moriyama entered two events, registering his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 55.77 and lowering his 3x3x3 mark by 4.6 percent to 11.07. Meanwhile, Takuya Kira entered two events and logged his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 31.47 while finishing 4th in 3x3x3, and Hiroki Katagiri completed his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 51.96.

Several other Japanese competitors registered milestone single and average times across the 3x3x3 Cube competition. Tomohiro Kobayashi delivered an outstanding 8.04 single and 9.58 average, while Sho Kashiyama turned in an 8.25 single and 10.40 average. Toru Morooka recorded a 9.08 single alongside a 10.43 average, and Yasunari Kumekawa posted an official 10.92 single and 14.93 average. Further down the roster, Kazue Kobayashi finished with an 11.95 single and 13.43 average, Hiroki Saito marked a 12.73 single and 16.11 average, and Akira Kurata achieved a 15.24 single and 16.10 average.

Rounding out the scoresheet, Yuko Kanzaki registered an 18.48 single and 23.33 average, while Shimon Takuwa completed the discipline with a 22.09 single and 26.07 average. The concentrated format of two single-round brackets tested raw speed and composure, ensuring that every participant left with definitive marks in the official books. Kanazawa Challenge Spring PM 2023 concluded as an efficient showcase of sharp solves, individual milestones, and top-tier puzzle solving in Ishikawa.

石川県金沢市の金沢市長土塀青少年交流センターで開催されたKanazawa Challenge Spring PM 2023において、Amey Gabaが3x3x3と4x4x4の両種目で優勝を飾り、卓越したスピードを披露しました。2023年5月27日に行われたこのスピードキューブ大会には44名の選手が集い、全2種目2ラウンドで熱戦が繰り広げられました。

今大会では日本勢が全6つの表彰台枠のうち4つを獲得し、ルービックキューブ競技における層の厚さを示しました。3x3x3種目と4x4x4種目の双方で地元日本の選手たちが上位に名を連ね、ハイレベルなタイムで観客を魅了する一日となりました。

43名がエントリーした花形の3x3x3 Cubeでは、Amey Gabaが平均8.58、単発7.90をマークして見事に頂点へ立ちました。これに続いたのが日本勢で、Kazuya Ishii（石井一也）が平均9.06で2位、Yudai Naito（内藤悠大）が平均9.18で3位に入り、見事なダブル表彰台を達成しました。

続く4x4x4 CubeでもAmey Gabaが強さを発揮し、単発27.90、平均32.26で2冠を達成しました。ここでも日本代表の選手たちが素晴らしいパフォーマンスを見せ、Kohdai Kusatani（草谷幸大）が平均33.37で2位、Yuki Nomura（野村優希）が平均34.54で3位に食い込み、日本勢が表彰台を堅実に確保しました。

結果表の上位争いだけでなく、自己記録を塗り替えた選手たちの奮闘も会場を大いに沸かせました。Ryo Otsuki（大槻瞭）は2種目に出場し、3x3x3 Cubeで従来より15%短縮する自己ベスト9.60を記録して15位に入り、4x4x4 Cubeでも46.55の自己新をマークしました。またYuko Kanzaki（神崎裕子）は4x4x4 Cubeで自己記録を14.5%縮める1:02.26を出し26位となりました。Satoru Umetsu（梅津諭）は4x4x4 Cubeで7.6%改善の49.55を記録して24位、Sho Kashiyama（樫山匠）は3x3x3 Cubeで8位に入りつつ4x4x4 Cubeで12.7%更新する35.79の自己新を樹立しました。

さらに初挑戦の舞台で堂々とした試技を見せた選手たちも輝きを放ちました。Koki Sugawara（菅原弘貴）は自身初のWCA大会として2種目に挑み、3x3x3 Cubeの初記録12.15で25位、4x4x4 Cubeで1:05.68を記録しました。Kei Sasagawa（笹川恵生）も初参戦で3x3x3 Cube初記録12.09を叩き出して19位となり、4x4x4 Cubeでは1:11.38を残しました。Kazui Fujii（藤井一維）は3x3x3 Cube初挑戦で14.36を記録して34位、Haruto Yoshida（吉田悠人）も初挑戦で39.91の記録を残して41位で大会を終えました。

大会全体を通して多数の選手が自己記録の更新を果たし、Kanazawa Challenge Spring PM 2023は確かな熱気とともに幕を閉じました。Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japanでの熱い戦いは、選手たちにとって次なるシーズンへの大きな足がかりとなりました。