London Winter B 2023

The University Community Centre at the University of Western Ontario was alive with focus as competitors gathered for a full day of puzzle solving. Timers flashed and plastic pieces clicked across the competition floor in London, Ontario, Canada on February 26, 2023. A field of 86 solvers assembled to test their dexterity and composure across seven total rounds of action. The single-day WCA competition brought together experienced contenders and ambitious newcomers for an intense slate of five distinct events spanning classical and blindfolded disciplines.

Brennen Lin established control over the weekend by sweeping the premier short-format events. In the 3x3x3 Cube, Lin set the standard across two rounds, clinching the overall victory with a winning average of 6.58 seconds alongside the fastest single solve of the round at 6.34 seconds. Stanley Wang chased Lin to the finish, locking down second place with a 7.14 average, while Morgan Yeh secured third with an 8.03 mark. The 3x3 results capped a dominant showing for Lin, who spent the day operating at a level above the rest of the 86-player field.

Lin was equally unstoppable in the 2x2x2 Cube, delivering another masterclass across two hard-fought rounds. He captured first place behind an exceptional 1.67 average and posted the tournament best single of 0.61 seconds. Wang earned his second silver of the tournament with a 2.88 average, while Jenna Hassan reached the third step on the podium with a 3.21 average. Lin's crisp execution across both short puzzles underlined his command over the speedcubing schedule.

Morgan Yeh matched Lin's title count with a sweeping performance across the larger puzzles. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Yeh conquered a field of 50 competitors, capturing gold with a 28.30 winning average and a single of 27.20 seconds. Jeriel James Thomas followed in second place with a 31.52 average, narrowly edging Abishua James Thomas, who took third in 31.91. Yeh carried that momentum directly into the 5x5x5 Cube, finishing first among 34 entrants with a 55.25 average and a 48.39 single, as Abishua James Thomas claimed second at 1:06.64 and Wang took third at 1:07.05.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest added mental endurance to the lineup, challenging 14 solvers to memorize and solve without visual feedback. Kai Wen Yang took top honours with a gold-medal single of 1:07.07. Thompson Clarke achieved the silver spot with a time of 2:45.06, while Aiden Yim closed out the podium in third place at 2:55.22. Canadian competitors swept all 15 podium positions awarded throughout London Winter B 2023, showcasing the depth of regional talent across every bracket.

Beyond the championship podiums, several solvers delivered massive personal breakthroughs away from the spotlight. Noah Martin registered an extraordinary leap forward in the classic Rubik's Cube, recording a personal best of 19.53 seconds that was 40 percent faster than his prior mark of 32.53. William Kitching made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 4:24.69 solve, securing a 5th-place finish, while also dropping his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 40.92, an improvement of 32.8 percent over his old 1:00.92 mark. Cameron O'Connor cut his 3x3x3 Cube time by 29.5 percent down to 20.74 seconds and shaved 28.9 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube mark with a new 3.42 personal best.

Other competitors took on fresh challenges across the tournament program. Abbas Almoufadhal posted a 21.5 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 15.78 seconds, along with making his first ever attempts at 2x2x2 Cube in 5.84 seconds and 4x4x4 Cube in 1:56.63. Matthew Kang Lu cut 20.6 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 11.01 seconds and logged a 3.36 in his first 2x2x2 Cube attempt. Brian Dumouchelle took on four events, setting a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 57.70 seconds, an 18.5 percent drop, while attempting 2x2x2 Cube in 4.52 and 5x5x5 Cube in 2:41.56 for the first time. Braeden Hill tackled five events in a debut appearance, reaching 4th place in blindfolded solving at 3:19.41, while Zachary Lake made first attempts across three distinct big-cube and small-cube puzzles.

The gathering proved to be a vibrant speed cubing showcase that tested every tier of competitor from morning to evening. With intense finals, personal milestones, and double-event champions in both small and big cubes, London Winter B 2023 delivered a memorable day of action at the University of Western Ontario. As the 2023 season marches on, the marks established in London provide plenty of momentum for everyone who took to the tables at this premier cubing competition.