On the Side South Australia 2023

Speed reached blistering heights in Adelaide as Jayden McNeill put on a masterclass of dexterity, taking first place in the 3x3x3 One-Handed final with an average of 12.59 seconds and a tournament-best single of 10.12. Held on March 11, 2023, On the Side South Australia 2023 welcomed 58 competitors to the Unley Town Hall for a packed slate of 10 events across 12 rounds. While traditional main events took a backseat to specialized side disciplines, the intensity on the tables was evident from the very first solves of the day.

The contest served as a showcase for high-speed precision across multiple formats. In the one-handed event, McNeill topped a field of 47 competitors over two rounds, holding off Seth Ferry who placed second with an average of 13.80 and Jeffers Chan from Hong Kong who secured third at 18.76. Fans tracking standard Rubik's Cube variants were treated to exceptional speed cubing technique throughout the day, as competitors solved asymmetrical twists and single-handed permutations with relentless pace.

McNeill carried that momentum directly into the 4x4x4 Cube, which drew the largest field of the weekend with 56 competitors. He clinched the title with a 35.39 average, bolstered by a 31.73 single. Ferry again claimed the runner-up spot with a 37.25 average, while Leo Hock-Morris took third in 38.67. The two-handed big-cube battles showed seamless transition work from shorter puzzles to more complex layers, providing some of the most dynamic 3x3 results and extended-layer comparisons of the entire cubing competition.

Beyond four layers, McNeill expanded his sweep across the program, claiming first place in Megaminx with a 59.37 average ahead of Ferry and Andrew Sherman. He then secured victories in the 6x6x6 Cube with a 2:02.86 average and the 7x7x7 Cube with a 3:30.17 mark, outpacing Chan and Spain's Ting Sheng Bao Yang. McNeill also claimed top honors in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 21.67 average, sharing the weekend podium tally where Australia gathered 23 spots, Hong Kong took four, and Spain collected three.

The non-twisty and alternate twist puzzles brought sharp competition as well. Alex Butera captured the Clock crown with an average of 6.88 seconds, leaving Yang and Patrick Kleverlaan in second and third. In Square-1, Jeffers Chan earned the gold with a 10.74 average across two rounds, besting Butera and Ferry. Blindfolded mastery was on display as Brock Hamann won the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event with a single of 1:08.67, and went on to win 3x3x3 Multi-Blind by successfully solving 8 of 11 cubes within 52:14.

Behind the headline winners, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones away from the podium spotlight. Eamon Wellington tackled five events and dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best down to 19.66 seconds, an improvement of 61.7 percent compared to his prior mark, while also recording his first official attempts in Megaminx and 6x6x6 Cube. Curtis Tham took on four disciplines and finished fourth in Clock with a new personal best of 9.28 seconds, cutting 45.8 percent off his previous record, while trimming his Square-1 time by 44.5 percent down to 30.15.

Other competitors embraced new challenges across the board at the Adelaide venue. Paris Dinan registered his first official results in 7x7x7 Cube and Clock, while improving his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 1:10.86, an advance of 29.8 percent. Riley Love entered seven events, logging a debut in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves alongside a 38.9 percent cut to his one-handed best at 41.36. Brodie Sellar contested six events, registering first attempts at 6x6x6 Cube, Clock, and Square-1. Samuel Jones entered three events, posting his first Megaminx and one-handed marks while dropping his 4x4x4 Cube best to 1:25.29. Ethan Baillie made his debut appearance at a WCA competition, recording first-ever solves in Megaminx and one-handed, while Richard Owens marked his first tournament with official debuts in Megaminx and 4x4x4 Cube.

The single-day meet highlighted the broad skill required to navigate diverse side events under tournament conditions. By bringing 58 competitors together in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, the gathering proved how much depth exists across different puzzle disciplines. As the 2023 calendar progresses, On the Side South Australia 2023 stands out as a test of adaptability, speedcubing skill, and collective determination across all ten brackets.