NA Stadium Series - Cleveland 2023

One hundred competitors assembled on April 29, 2023, setting the stage for high-stakes speedcubing inside First Energy Stadium. The single-day WCA competition brought together solvers across six disciplines, packing nine fast-moving rounds into a relentless schedule in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. From the first turn of the morning to the final podium presentations, the atmosphere remained focused and intense as solvers vied for top honors across the board.

Luke Garrett established complete control over the weekend, capturing titles across multiple disciplines and securing top podium spots in nearly every event he entered. His commanding performance began in the traditional Rubik's Cube division, where he topped two rounds of 3x3 results with a winning average of 5.64 seconds and a best single time of 4.93. Luke Griesser secured second place with an average of 6.37, while Simon Kellum locked down third at 7.31.

Garrett extended his supreme run into the shorter formats, claiming the 2x2x2 Cube crown at NA Stadium Series - Cleveland 2023 with a blazing average of 1.53 seconds and a best single of 1.12. Sean Cutshaw followed in second place with an average of 2.35, while Kellum earned another podium finish in third with 2.47. The dominant showing demonstrated Garrett's sharp precision and rapid execution in high-pressure tournament situations.

The 12-sided Megaminx event provided another platform for Garrett's versatility. Over a demanding round against 45 competitors, Garrett outpaced the field with a winning average of 40.77 seconds and a brilliant best single solve of 33.87. Roy Lee claimed the second spot on the podium with an average of 48.02, narrowly edging out Luke Griesser, who took third place with a 48.26 average to round out an impressive group of solvers.

While Garrett maintained a strong grip across multiple events, Ari Randers-Pehrson delivered an exceptional showing in the larger cube categories. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Randers-Pehrson won with an average of 23.96 seconds, ahead of Garrett in second at 27.66 and Carter Kucala in third at 29.12. Randers-Pehrson repeated the triumph in the 5x5x5 Cube, recording a winning average of 51.59 seconds to finish ahead of Garrett at 53.68 and Jack Pfeifer at 54.87.

The Pyraminx provided its own showcase of rapid execution, where Simon Kellum took top honors with an average of 2.03 seconds and a best single solve of 1.10. Harsha Paladugu finished in the runner-up position with a steady 2.21 average, while Steven Wintringham captured the third podium spot with an average of 2.29. United States solvers swept all eighteen podium places across the six events contested at this energetic speed cubing gathering.

Beyond the championship battles, several solvers achieved massive leaps and crossed new competitive thresholds. Liam Workman tackled four events, achieving a personal best single of 4.59 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube that was 52.1 percent faster than his prior mark, alongside debut attempts in the 5x5x5 Cube at 2:13.51 and the 4x4x4 Cube at 1:27.32. Max Haller cut his 2x2x2 Cube best by 48.3 percent down to 4.33 seconds and logged his first Pyraminx solve at 17.95. Owen Bettin brought his 2x2x2 Cube best down to 3.47 seconds, a 40.5 percent improvement, and trimmed his 3x3x3 Cube time by 19 percent to 13.74, while Kabir Rathod shaved 39.5 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube best to reach 1:12.43.

First-time event entries provided some of the most memorable milestones of the tournament. Franklyn Tu stepped onto the floor for his first WCA competition, tackling six events with a best finish of 36th in Megaminx behind a 2:50.46 single and logging initial times of 24.63 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 3:00.99 in the 5x5x5 Cube. Tyler Gonder also made his tournament debut across six events, posting an initial 20.60 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 12.25 in Pyraminx, and 1:36.75 in the 4x4x4 Cube. Troy Lucas ventured into three new events, recording 4.11 in the 2x2x2 Cube, 2:25.63 in the 5x5x5 Cube, and 2:56.03 in Megaminx. Jonah M. Dolesh entered six events, securing a 19th-place finish in Megaminx with a personal best of 1:12.91 alongside an 8.88 Pyraminx mark and a first-ever 2x2x2 Cube single of 3.07.

The 2023 competition proved to be a vibrant display of talent, consistency, and athletic focus across all six categories. Solvers pushed their capabilities from the morning rounds all the way through the final solves, establishing personal breakthroughs and celebrating major podium finishes inside a world-class venue. As the regional calendar progresses, the performances at NA Stadium Series - Cleveland 2023 set a strong benchmark for competitive solving this season.