Lakewood Fall 2023

Inside Harrison Preparatory Academy, the rhythmic clicking of plastic mechanisms filled the hall as a field of 151 competitors gathered for Lakewood Fall 2023. Staged on October 14, 2023, the venue provided an energetic setting for an action-packed, single-day WCA competition in Lakewood, Washington, USA. Across eight rounds spanning four different official disciplines, solvers took their places at the timing stations under the steady watch of judges and officials, turning the school hall into a bustling hub of competitive Rubik's Cube activity.

The 3x3x3 Cube contest stood at the center of the day, drawing 147 competitors across three full rounds of head-to-head solving. When the final 3x3 results were calculated, Sameer Aggarwal took top honors on the main stage, securing victory with a winning average of 6.55 seconds alongside a tournament-best single of 5.31 seconds. Max Siauw delivered a strong runner-up performance with a 6.90 average, while Asher Kim-Magierek claimed third place with an average of 6.97 seconds in a remarkably tight podium battle.

Sameer Aggarwal was not finished with just one title, returning to the stage to claim victory in Pyraminx as well. With 100 competitors tackling the triangular puzzle over two rounds, Aggarwal locked down the gold with a 2.99 average and a fast single of 1.46 seconds. Tripp Peters took second place with an average of 3.17 seconds, while Max Siauw collected another podium placement, finishing third with a 3.88 average in the final round.

The 4x4x4 Cube contest brought heavier rotation demands, testing 93 competitors across a single high-stakes round. Max Siauw demonstrated elite command over the larger puzzle, capturing first place with a 26.07 winning average and posting the day's best single of 21.03 seconds. Asher Kim-Magierek claimed the silver medal with an average of 30.11 seconds, and Sameer Aggarwal completed a prolific day by earning the bronze medal with a 31.50 average.

In the 2x2x2 Cube event, speed was pushed to its absolute limits across two rounds featuring 125 competitors. Asher Kim-Magierek emerged victorious, recording a winning average of 1.93 seconds to go along with a best single of 1.70 seconds. Sameer Aggarwal finished in second place with a 2.04 average, and Ash Black rounded out the podium in third place with a 2.67 average. Across all events, competitors representing the USA secured all 12 podium positions throughout the meet.

Beyond the top podium spots, the event hall saw substantial personal milestones from competitors making notable progress across their events. Caleb Smith took on four disciplines and delivered massive drops, improving his Pyraminx mark by 70.1 percent to 7.59 seconds, his 2x2x2 Cube time by 40 percent to 4.14 seconds, and his 4x4x4 Cube mark to 1:12.78. Avery Amable posted a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 9.84 seconds, while cutting his 2x2x2 Cube time by 59.7 percent down to 5.04 seconds and his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 34.3 percent to 15.82 seconds. Brandon Martindale trimmed his 2x2x2 Cube time by 53.6 percent to 2.78 seconds and dropped his Pyraminx mark by 45.6 percent to 6.16 seconds. Matthew Franchini advanced to 9th place in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 39.97 personal best, shaving 46.8 percent off his prior benchmark.

Other dedicated solvers embraced new event challenges and recorded sharp personal breakthroughs on the tournament floor. Avin Gupta completed his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 2:03.70 while lowering his 2x2x2 Cube best by 45.1 percent to 3.38 seconds. Mason Taylor logged a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:23.64 and improved his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 44 percent to 3.71 seconds. Zachary Reyes registered a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 8.67 seconds and reduced his 2x2x2 Cube time by 40.3 percent to 5.37 seconds. Logan Wheeler Zaraski completed first attempts in both 2x2x2 Cube at 5.22 seconds and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:27.57, while bettering his Pyraminx personal record by 40.9 percent to 7.32 seconds.

The day concluded with clean-up and celebration as competitors reflected on their performances across the eight contested rounds. From the headline triumphs in premier puzzles to the breakthrough moments achieved at individual timing stations, Lakewood Fall 2023 offered an outstanding showcase of competitive speedcubing in the Pacific Northwest. With the 2023 season continuing forward, participants packed away their gear from Harrison Preparatory Academy ready to carry their momentum into future speed cubing competition opportunities.