Michigan 2023

Inside Lake Huron Hall at the Blue Water Convention Center, the rhythmic click of plastic turning echoed across the hall from early morning until the final solves of the afternoon. Stacking timers, score sheets, and scrambling stations filled the venue floor as 198 competitors arrived for a full weekend of speedcubing action in Port Huron, Michigan, USA. The tournament took place from July 8 to July 9, 2023, offering a dense schedule featuring 12 events and 23 rounds of head-to-head Rubik's Cube solving.

Making an ambitious WCA competition run seamlessly requires immense effort from the local organizers, delegates, and dedicated volunteers running scorecards and judging stations. Michigan 2023 demanded exact coordination to keep all 23 rounds on schedule across two packed days. From managing the flow of 197 competitors in the main event to overseeing the focused silence required for blindfolded solving, the volunteer staff kept tables turning without delay, setting the stage for remarkable individual achievements across the roster.

When the final round arrived for the classic 3x3x3 Cube, Morgan Yeh of Canada emerged victorious, claiming the title with a winning average of 6.22 seconds and a best single solve of 5.97 seconds. The 3x3 results featured exceptional speed throughout the top three, as Luke Griesser earned second place with a 6.47 average, followed closely by Luke Garrett with a 6.64 mark. The standard 3x3 competition stood out as the centerpiece of a weekend that showcased solvers from across North America.

Luke Garrett delivered an outstanding across-the-board performance in multiple disciplines, capturing four championship titles over the course of the weekend. Garrett won the 2x2x2 Cube with a rapid 1.37 average, besting Andrew Mao and Arhaan Sareen. He also secured first place in 4x4x4 Cube with a 27.58 average ahead of Jack Pfeifer, took the top spot in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 9.89 seconds, and claimed victory in Megaminx with an average of 41.11 seconds.

Behind the top podium spots, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across new events and massive time drops away from the main spotlight. Joshua Ponce cut his Skewb personal best by 70 percent down to 8.77 seconds and dropped his Pyraminx mark to 7.92. Shiv Ramamurthy improved his Pyraminx personal best by 65.4 percent to 3.89 seconds while trying 5x5x5 Cube for the first time with a 2:34.15 solve and clocking 6.15 on his Skewb debut. Gavin Michael LaDuke improved his 2x2x2 personal best by 62.9 percent to 6.13 seconds, while logging his first official attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:23.72 and Skewb at 23.17. Calvin Kolk recorded a 5.75 Pyraminx mark, 62.7 percent faster than his prior best, and tackled Skewb for the first time with a 19.33 effort.

Other dedicated solvers embraced massive schedules across the weekend program. Connor Zheng entered 11 events, taking on Square-1 with a 1:13.02, Pyraminx with a 7.12, and 2x2x2 with a 3.18 in his first official attempts for each discipline, while placing 41st in 7x7x7 Cube. Nolan Schulzke also took on 11 events, making first attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 1:49.60, Pyraminx at 7.37, and Skewb at 5.19, alongside a 31st-place finish in Megaminx. David Newman logged six events, establishing his first marks in 2x2x2 Cube at 5.60, Square-1 at 27.19, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:19.52. Zachary Shepherd entered nine events, trimming his 4x4x4 Cube best by 49.4 percent to 1:14.51 while recording initial marks in Megaminx at 3:33.32 and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:24.32.

Big cube specialists found plenty of room to shine as Jack Pfeifer swept the largest puzzles at the cubing competition. Pfeifer took top honors in 5x5x5 Cube with a 50.47 average, claimed the 6x6x6 Cube title in 1:34.42, and completed the sweep with a 2:25.88 winning average in 7x7x7 Cube. Pfeifer added a fourth victory in Square-1 with an average of 9.25 seconds, proving his versatility across complex rotating puzzles.

The remaining events rounded out the broad test of speed cubing skills over the weekend. Gabriel Williams V captured the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown with a single solve of 26.90 seconds, leading Garrett and Pfeifer on the podium. In the Pyraminx event, Ezra Shere finished first with a 1.71 winning average, while Andrew Mao took the Skewb victory with an average of 4.35 seconds. Across all podium placements, United States competitors earned 24 top-three finishes, while Canadian competitors secured 12.

As timers were packed away and the hall cleared out, Michigan 2023 concluded as a resounding logistical success. The dedication of the organizers and community volunteers ensured an efficient, welcoming environment for newcomers and veterans alike across two memorable days in Port Huron.