Minnesota Meetup II Thursday 2023

A mere eight hundredths of a second decided second place in Pyraminx at the Apple Valley Senior Center, capturing the intense drama that ran throughout the single-day tournament. Brian Johnson edged Nathan Rahn for the runner-up spot on the podium with a 4.05 average to Rahn's 4.13, finishing behind event champion Simon Kellum. That razor-thin margin set the tone for Minnesota Meetup II Thursday 2023, where 44 competitors gathered in Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA on June 29, 2023. Over seven fast-paced rounds across three distinct events, every turn of the puzzle mattered in the race for hardware.

The 2023 speedcubing fixture featured a deep field battling across both twisty puzzles and the classic Rubik's Cube. While Kellum locked down the Pyraminx victory with a dominant 2.32 winning average and a crisp single of 1.52, Johnson proved to be a formidable challenger across the board. The rivalry between the top finishers kept the pressure high on every solve, as podium contenders consistently pushed each other to shave hundredths of a second off their official times in the tight Apple Valley venue.

In the 3x3x3 Cube, the premier discipline of the WCA competition, Brian Johnson took command of the field through all three rounds. Johnson captured the gold medal by registering a winning average of 6.60, highlighted by a tournament-best single of 5.24. Kaius Young secured second place on the podium with an 8.54 average, while Simon Kellum claimed third place with a mark of 9.33. The official 3x3 results demonstrated strong consistency at the top of the table among the 42 competitors who took part in the event.

Johnson continued his winning ways in the 2x2x2 Cube, topping the standings among 39 competitors across two rounds of action. He secured the victory with a 1.41 winning average and posted a stunning 1.09 single. Nathan Rahn earned second place with an average of 2.06, while Simon Kellum took third place with a 2.67 average. Across the entire cubing competition, all nine podium positions were claimed by representatives from the United States, showcasing the depth of regional talent in speed cubing.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Minnesota Meetup II Thursday 2023 saw massive individual milestones from competitors throughout the ranks. Levi Wallace delivered an outstanding performance in the 2x2x2 Cube, taking 9th place while setting a personal best of 2.82 seconds, which was 72.4 percent faster than his previous mark, alongside a Pyraminx personal best of 6.02. Sam Utecht also posted a dramatic drop, recording a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 5.71 seconds to improve by 50.7 percent. Sam Dalida tackled three events, achieving a Pyraminx personal best of 8.12 seconds, 43.2 percent faster than before, and logging a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with an 11.64 result.

First-time event attempts and sharp progress defined the rest of the lower bracket as well. Avery Wartner entered three disciplines and registered a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with 10.80 seconds, while cutting 39.1 percent off her Pyraminx personal best down to 11.88. Eli Corbett set a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 6.16 seconds, an improvement of 38.7 percent, alongside a first ever attempt at Pyraminx of 10.85. Nathan Webb brought down his Pyraminx personal best by 35 percent to 7.76, lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best by 24.7 percent to 20.55, and logged his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.63 single.

Colton Mrozinski also expanded his repertoire at the tournament, making his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube in 3.87 seconds while finishing 11th in the 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 12.04 seconds, an improvement of 13.1 percent. Meanwhile, Luke Marvin tackled all three events on the schedule and reached 11th place in Pyraminx, lowering his personal best in that event to 4.63 seconds, improving his 2x2x2 Cube best to 3.92 seconds, and cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 15.25 seconds.

The tournament wrapped up having delivered standout individual improvements, close races, and high-level execution across all three events. Minnesota Meetup II Thursday 2023 offered a complete showcase of precision and agility, from the lightning-fast Pyraminx podium race to the steady dominance shown by Johnson and Kellum. As the competitors depart Apple Valley, the stage is set for these rivals to meet again and continue pushing the boundaries of the sport next season.