Ohio State Fall 2023

Five titles across seven disciplines defined a commanding day of speedcubing at the Recreation and Physical Activity Center in Columbus, Ohio, USA. On September 30, 2023, Luke Garrett produced an overwhelming performance that set the tone from the early morning through the final rounds. With 56 competitors contesting 12 rounds of action, the gathering served as a benchmark for high-level execution across puzzles of every size, anchored by Garrett standing atop nearly every podium he contested.

Garrett established his standard early during the main event. Over three rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube, he navigated a field of 55 entrants, capping the final with a winning 5.85 average alongside a day-best single of 4.80. The 3x3 results confirmed his position at the summit of the standings, as Dylan Miller took the runner-up position with a 6.52 average and Luke Griesser completed the podium with a 7.22 mark, demonstrating the razor-thin margins separating the leading finalists.

The big cubes provided further proof of Garrett's mastery across the board. In the 5x5x5 Cube, he secured first place with an average of 54.11 and a single of 51.60, outpacing Griesser's 57.43 and Miller's 1:04.01. Stepping up to the 6x6x6 Cube, Garrett delivered a winning 1:38.24 average, besting Griesser's 2:05.80 and Darshan Bhavanasi's 2:10.66. He then completed the large-puzzle sweep in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting an average of 2:33.26 to finish ahead of Griesser at 3:08.24 and Chris Chi at 3:32.08.

Garrett added another gold in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded category, where solving without sight demands flawless memorisation and execution. Garrett logged a single of 40.15 to earn the win over AJ Kamal at 59.84 and Braden Richards at 1:13.14. The remaining two events offered variety at the top of the standings, as Dylan Miller captured the Megaminx title with a 37.81 average to hold off Garrett's 38.81 and Kamal's 44.41. Meanwhile, Dominic Cater took top honors in Square-1, recording a 7.94 winning average ahead of Chi at 8.99 and Jacob Dyland Bennett at 9.16.

Beyond the championship trophies, this speed cubing showcase delivered massive personal milestones across the tables. Elliott Cantor tackled seven distinct events, setting a Square-1 personal best of 25.52 that shaved 51.3 percent off their previous mark, alongside a 28.9 percent cut in 7x7x7 Cube to 6:06.79 and a first attempt at 5x5x5 Cube at 2:05.01. Roman V. Simkins advanced to a 12th place finish in 3x3x3 Cube, posting a new personal best single of 8.60, dropping their 5x5x5 Cube time by 46 percent down to 1:45.74, and logging a first Megaminx result of 4:57.07. Neil Sekerak entered five events, recording an initial 6x6x6 Cube time of 6:13.38 while improving their Megaminx mark by 32.6 percent to 2:29.14.

First-time events and debuts continued to shape the lower tiers of the bracket. Garrett Crook trimmed 19.4 percent off their 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal record down to 5:31.49 and registered their first Megaminx result at 2:20.68. Fedor Kalinkou stepped up to three new puzzles, logging inaugural marks in 5x5x5 Cube at 1:42.36, 6x6x6 Cube at 3:43.65, and 7x7x7 Cube at 5:50.54. Chase Farrell tried Square-1 for the first time with a 38.67 and lowered their Megaminx record by 22.7 percent to 2:08.48. Chris Nankervis completed first official efforts in three events, while Clair Schmidt attended their first WCA competition, securing eighth place in Square-1 with a 14.08 single.

Throughout the schedule, the American contingent dominated the final podium counts, securing 20 top-three spots alongside one podium finish from India courtesy of Bhavanasi in the 6x6x6 Cube. The multi-round format rewarded competitors who maintained consistency under pressure, especially during the demanding three rounds of standard speedcubing where split-second errors decided advancement.

As the final timers were cleared, Ohio State Fall 2023 demonstrated the incredible technical range present in contemporary solving. From the marathon focus of the big cubes to the specialized mechanics of Square-1 and blindfolded solving, the Columbus gathering provided a comprehensive test of skill, highlighted by Garrett's commanding multi-event run across the RPAC arena floor.