New Hampshire Spring 2023

One hundred and nine competitors converged on Talbot Gym as New Hampshire Spring 2023 delivered a championship-level test of speed, endurance, and consistency. Over two days from May 27 to May 28, the venue in Exeter, New Hampshire, USA hosted 23 rounds of action across 11 official disciplines. With titles on the line across every format, the multi-round schedule demanded immediate focus from the opening turns through Sunday afternoon finals.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 106 competitors through four grueling rounds, testing resolve as the field narrowed. Daniel Karnaukh rose to the challenge in the final, securing the victory with a 7.15 average alongside a single of 6.95. The 3x3 results served as the centerpiece of the gathering, reflecting the intense preparation required to withstand four separate elimination stages at an official WCA competition in the 2023 calendar.

Karnaukh expanded his weekend haul beyond the classic Rubik's Cube, turning New Hampshire Spring 2023 into a dominant showcase across multiple disciplines. In the 5x5x5 Cube final, he captured first place with a 57.03 average and a 55.30 best single, outlasting Jonah Crosby who took second in 1:00.22, while Aidan McKenzie claimed third with 1:06.36. Karnaukh completed his trio of gold trophies in Square-1, registering a winning average of 6.62 and a single of 5.55 across three rounds to best Elijah Rain Phelps and Tommy Szeliga.

Aidan McKenzie also staged an impressive campaign across multiple brackets, taking home two individual titles. McKenzie secured first place in Megaminx with an average of 41.01 and a best single of 37.34, finishing ahead of Eben Quenneville and Phelps. In the single-round 3x3x3 One-Handed battle, McKenzie topped the 51-person field with a 15.40 average and a single of 12.93, while also earning podium finishes in the 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, and 2x2x2 Cube events.

High-pressure finals delivered close battles across the remaining disciplines. Jonah Crosby captured the 4x4x4 Cube crown with a 25.41 average, while Viktor Pearl claimed the 2x2x2 Cube title with a 2.03 mark ahead of Curtis Chai. Saisabari Ramesh clinched the Skewb championship with a 4.15 average, Joshua Marriott took Clock honors in 4.69, and Abhinav Govindaraju won Pyraminx averaging 2.89. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Parth Garg solved without sight in 48.03 to take the gold ahead of Will Russo and Caleb Retik.

Beyond the championship podiums, the event saw remarkable individual progress from dedicated entrants. Merrick Holtan improved their 2x2x2 personal best by 71.7 percent to 7.44, dropped their 3x3x3 time to 43.17, and recorded a first Pyraminx attempt of 14.47. Gabriel McFarren slashed their Skewb personal best by 51.7 percent to 6.81, cut their Pyraminx mark by 32.9 percent to 6.37, and completed their first Megaminx solve in 2:00.69. Sebastian Knowles reduced their one-handed mark by 48.4 percent to 29.96 while logging first attempts in Pyraminx at 9.24 and the 5x5x5 Cube at 3:58.88. Thomas White chopped their 2x2x2 personal best by 43.1 percent down to 6.13, alongside first attempts in Skewb at 14.89 and Pyraminx at 7.26.

The breakthrough performances continued through the ranks as several solvers expanded their event repertoires. Luke Thomas dropped their 2x2x2 best by 48.6 percent to 3.42 and improved their 3x3x3 mark by 22.3 percent to 14.33 while taking on Pyraminx for the first time in 13.38. Derek Perry trimmed their 3x3x3 personal best by 32.8 percent to 27.34 while recording debut attempts in Skewb at 12.25 and one-handed solving at 1:55.57. Justin Cox tackled nine events on the weekend, achieving a 41st-place finish in one-handed solving with a debut of 47.09 alongside first marks in Square-1 at 26.81 and 5x5x5 at 2:41.29. Silas Holzman improved their 4x4x4 best by 25.9 percent to 1:02.08 and logged debut times of 28.17 in one-handed and 4.22 in 2x2x2.

The two-day tournament highlighted the broad depth of talent active in regional speed cubing, with all 33 podium positions claimed by United States competitors. Every division showcased technical versatility, whether solving with one hand, executing algorithms under blindfolds, or turning against the timer on larger puzzles. The collective effort across the field proved that New Hampshire Spring 2023 offered an outstanding arena for competitive speedcubing.

As the equipment was packed away at Talbot Gym, the results left an indelible mark on the regional circuit. From early-round heats to the tension of late-stage finals, the competitors pushed their capabilities across all 23 rounds. The championship standard demonstrated throughout the weekend establishes a high bar as contenders prepare for the next cubing competition on the calendar.