Mind Sports Olympiad Cubing 2023

A blistering 6.96 winning average from Chris Mills in the classic 3x3x3 Cube set the benchmark at Mind Sports Olympiad Cubing 2023, anchoring a high-tempo single-day meet where every event tested competitors over structured two-round formats. Hosted at JW3 in Camden, Greater London, United Kingdom on August 24, 2023, the gathering brought together 59 competitors contesting four distinct puzzles. With only two rounds per event, every opening solve carried immense weight to secure progression and challenge the podium contenders.

The two-round cut structure required instant composure, leaving no margin for slow starts across the eight total rounds. In the headline 3x3x3 Cube, 42 competitors vied for advancement, but Mills established early control, delivering the best single solve of the entire discipline at 6.42 before capturing gold with his sub-seven average. Eli Jay secured the second step on the podium with a 7.77 average, while Sean Moran took third place at 8.31, rounding out an all-British podium in the primary speedcubing contest.

Mills demonstrated equal authority in 3x3x3 One-Handed, an event that sharply tests fingertip dexterity and turn efficiency under tight format constraints. Facing a field of 30 competitors across two rounds, Mills collected his second victory of the day with a 10.58 winning average and an event-best single of 9.12. Louis de Mendonça pushed hard to claim silver with an average of 11.18, and Moran earned his second bronze of the competition by recording a 14.76 final average.

Sprint-style execution defined the 2x2x2 Cube, where 35 competitors navigated quick turnarounds in search of fractions of a second. France's Anael Champion dominated the event, producing a winning average of 1.91 alongside a rapid 1.26 single solve. Jay took his second silver medal of the day with an average of 2.43, while Billie Hammill finished third with a 2.98 mark, punctuating an event where small mistakes across short rounds drastically altered the final standings.

Away from the top of the podium, the two-round setup provided a platform for substantial personal progress. Oliver Crook tackled three events and achieved a 63.7 percent improvement in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a personal best of 17.71 to finish ninth, alongside a 2.69 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube that was 60.7 percent faster than his prior mark. Kellen Cai cut their 2x2x2 Cube best by 56.9 percent down to 7.93 and completed a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 55.58. Sathvik Athreya took on four events, finishing seventh in 2x2x2 Cube with a 1.50 personal best that was 48.1 percent faster, while lowering his 3x3x3 Cube best to 7.97. Ilyas Jaouadi dropped his 2x2x2 Cube best by 43.8 percent to 3.21 and improved his one-handed mark by 31.2 percent to 25.63.

First-time experiences also highlighted the day across multiple disciplines. Sebastian O Mahony-Hagan delivered a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 6.75 while trimming his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 35.1 percent to 27.50. Damien Sobolevski logged a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 1:25.84 and shaved 33.5 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube best with a 6.48. Minjoon Lee entered their first WCA competition, taking on two events and posting opening marks of 27.25 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and 4.07 in 2x2x2 Cube. Alexandru Coca also made their first appearance at an official cubing competition, recording a first ever attempt at the Rubik s Cube of 1:00.47.

Mental discipline peaked in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where 21 solvers faced the unforgiving format of memorising and executing unseen solves across two rounds. Louis de Mendonça claimed victory on the strength of a 1:22.29 single solve, managing the pressure of DNF averages to secure top spot. Jay captured another podium finish by taking second place in 1:38.93, while India's Sanjay Jacob earned third with a time of 1:40.22.

By the close of Mind Sports Olympiad Cubing 2023, the United Kingdom had secured 10 podium positions, with France and India each earning one. The focused slate of four events delivered intense speed cubing action, highlighted by decisive 3x3 results from Mills and high-speed execution across every table. As the 2023 season moves forward, the decisive two-round battles in London offered a clear display of precision under competitive cut lines.