Lakewood Spring 2023

Sameer Aggarwal put on a masterclass at Harrison Preparatory Academy, capturing first place across four separate disciplines in a single dominant day. The standout performance anchored Lakewood Spring 2023, an action-packed 2023 WCA competition in Lakewood, Washington, USA, that welcomed 130 competitors on May 13, 2023. Solvers travelled in from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, with international representation joining the domestic field to test their skills across 11 intense rounds of speedcubing action.

The journey proved worthwhile for the assembled solvers who gathered to take on a diverse slate of five events. The traditional Rubik's Cube drew the biggest turnout of the day, featuring 127 competitors battling through three rounds of play. Across every bracket, participants invested hours of travel and preparation to contest fast-turning puzzles, creating an energetic atmosphere inside the venue as the rounds narrowed toward the finals.

In the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, the 3x3 results confirmed Aggarwal at the top of the standings. He posted a winning average of 6.81 seconds alongside a tournament-best single solve of 6.59 seconds in the final round. Michael Lee took the runner-up spot with an average of 7.64 seconds, while Max Siauw rounded out the podium in third place with a 7.84 average. The three-round contest tested endurance and precision from morning to evening.

Aggarwal extended his winning run across the shorter formats and specialty puzzles. In the 2x2x2 Cube final, he secured gold with a 2.46-second average, barely edging Max Siauw, who placed second with a 2.57 average, ahead of Greyson James in third at 2.90. Aggarwal struck again in Pyraminx, winning the final with a 3.32 average over Ron G. Arama at 5.29 and James at 5.85. He then claimed the Skewb title with an average of 4.44 seconds, holding off Siauw by four hundredths of a second as Jonathan Truchot took third in 4.90.

The only title to elude Aggarwal came in the Megaminx event, where Michael Muething delivered a commanding performance. Muething navigated the twelve-sided puzzle to win with a 39.58-second average and a best single time of 38.10 seconds across two rounds. Max Siauw claimed another podium finish by taking second place with an average of 45.18 seconds, while Aggarwal took third with a 55.36 average, completing a podium haul for the United States across every event at Lakewood Spring 2023.

Beyond the championship podiums, the cubing competition served as a breakthrough stage for competitors achieving massive personal milestones. Milan Kuruvilla recorded a stunning 67.6 percent improvement on the Pyraminx, dropping his career best from 29.14 down to 9.43 seconds, while also trimming his 2x2x2 Cube single to 4.83 seconds. Scott Nicholson sliced 62.8 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark with a new 10.14 single and lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best to 39.29 seconds. Antariksh Mishra improved his Pyraminx single by 61.8 percent to 8.45 seconds and finished tenth overall in 2x2x2 Cube. Nikita Mayster took on five events, improving his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 60.6 percent to 2.89 seconds alongside a 2:48.64 Megaminx mark.

First-time event entries also provided major highlights as solvers expanded their competitive repertoire. Vihaan Prashant Krishnan completed his first official Pyraminx solve in 23.93 seconds and his first 2x2x2 Cube solve in 7.45 seconds, while also slashing his 3x3x3 Cube personal record by 53 percent to 35.54 seconds. Layla Lacanlale entered five events, logging official debuts in Skewb with 5.62 seconds, 2x2x2 Cube with 6.53 seconds, and Pyraminx with 9.45 seconds. Nick R. Genton tackled his first official Skewb solve in 10.84 seconds and Pyraminx in 8.50 seconds, while cutting his 2x2x2 Cube single by 46.5 percent to 2.29 seconds to finish 36th. Max Feng contested five events, making his official debut on Megaminx in 3:29.53 and Pyraminx in 8.90 seconds, alongside a personal best 2.92 single on the 2x2x2 Cube.

The speed cubing action concluded with a full slate of records entered into the official books across multiple divisions. Lakewood Spring 2023 showcased the remarkable breadth of regional talent, proving that every solve on the competition floor carries genuine meaning, from the top of the podium to the very first turns of a new event.