Minnesota Cube Day 2023

Brian Johnson put together an extraordinary sequence of solves at the Apple Valley Senior Center, capturing three separate victories and setting the standard with a 7.02 winning average in the 3x3x3 Cube final. His standout 5.41 single served as the fastest solve of the entire gathering. Beyond the top-tier marks on the main stage, the single-day tournament on September 23, 2023, brought 95 competitors to Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA, with a remarkable wave of newcomers taking their very first official steps in tournament play.

The one-day WCA competition showcased 10 rounds of high-tempo action across five varied disciplines. With dozens of solvers attending their initial speedcubing tournament or tackling unfamiliar formats for the first time, the atmosphere in Apple Valley balanced seasoned precision with early-career discovery. The broad participation highlighted how the local speed cubing community continues to welcome fresh talent across all skill levels and ages during the 2023 season.

In the classic 3x3x3 Cube, the centerpiece event of any cubing competition, 93 competitors advanced through three full stages of play. Johnson captured the crown with his 7.02 average, fending off silver medalist Kaius Young who finished at an 8.00 mark and Carter Kucala who claimed bronze with an 8.37 average. The standard Rubik's Cube division delivered exceptional depth, making the final 3x3 results some of the most closely contested times recorded throughout the Midwest this autumn.

The 2x2x2 Cube final provided Johnson with another championship performance, taking the title with an average of 1.35 seconds after posting a 1.27 single. Kucala secured second place with an average of 1.84, while Nathan Rahn took the third podium step at 2.04. The event drew 87 entrants across two rounds, featuring rapid turns and razor-thin margins from the preliminary stages straight through to the concluding solves.

Across the specialized events, Andy Wong claimed top honors in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an 11.94 average, logging a top single of 11.19. Johnson secured second place at 12.49, followed closely by Kucala at 12.65 among a field of 56 solvers. In the Pyraminx division, Simon Kellum prevailed against 76 other entrants, averaging 2.68 with a single of 1.90 to top Kucala at 2.97 and Carl Overbye at 2.99. In the big cube test, Johnson completed his triple-crown weekend by winning the 5x5x5 Cube in 58.88 seconds, ahead of Kucala at 1:01.45 and Tyler Robinson at 1:02.05.

Behind the headline finishes, individual progression defined the roster. Joseph Eiden took on five events, achieving a tenth-place best finish in 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 2.79 seconds that was 23.6 percent faster than before, while posting a Pyraminx personal best of 3.88 that cut 56.2 percent off his previous benchmark alongside a first attempt in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:03.20. Grey Sener entered three events, logging a first Pyraminx attempt of 9.80, a first 2x2x2 Cube attempt of 7.70, and a massive 56.1 percent drop in the 3x3x3 Cube to 20.35. Carson Downs recorded a 47.9 percent personal best improvement in Pyraminx down to 2.80, finishing 14th overall, alongside a first 2x2x2 Cube attempt of 4.81. Dexter Zenner took on three events, posting a 44.1 percent personal best of 16.87 in the 3x3x3 Cube, an 18.5 percent drop to 9.67 in Pyraminx, and a first 2x2x2 Cube solve of 4.13.

The momentum continued as Harrison Chandler tackled five disciplines, recording a 23rd-place best finish in 5x5x5 Cube with a first attempt of 2:08.62, while shaving 32.8 percent off his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark down to 24.20 and 31.8 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube single to 12.08. Rohan Saarang entered four events, finishing 16th in Pyraminx, completing a first 3x3x3 One-Handed attempt of 26.37, and reducing his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 46.5 percent to 11.81. Landon Imig entered five events, claiming 17th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed, logging first attempts in Pyraminx at 8.04 and 2x2x2 Cube at 4.90, and dropping his 5x5x5 Cube personal best by 34.5 percent to 1:36.89. Camden Swenson made his official tournament debut by entering four events, registering opening marks of 19.66 in 3x3x3 Cube, 5.00 in Pyraminx, and 56.05 in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

By the time the final timers were packed away, all 15 podium positions had gone to United States competitors across the five disciplines. Minnesota Cube Day 2023 offered a comprehensive showcase of both championship mastery and grass-roots momentum, ensuring that the next round of regionals will feature an even deeper pool of experienced competitors ready to test their speeds on the clock.