Peoria Fall 2023

Eighty-three competitors gathered on November 18, 2023, turning a single Saturday into a showcase of rapid progress across twelve distinct rounds. Taking place at the Bradley University Michel Student Center in Peoria, Illinois, USA, the gathering brought together a hungry field eager to test their training on the official stage. Across five official puzzles, the atmosphere was defined by competitors shaving fractions of seconds off their times with remarkable speed. As the sport continues to attract rising talent, the energy inside the venue reflected a vibrant community pushing the boundaries of mechanical dexterity and strategic problem solving.

The premier event of the cubing competition, the classic Rubik's Cube, featured eighty entrants vying for supremacy through three intense stages of elimination. In the final round of 3x3 results, Henry Lichner delivered a commanding performance to secure the championship with a winning average of 6.71 seconds. Lichner paired his steady consistency with a best single solve of 5.75 seconds to lead the field. Carter Kucala took second place on the podium with a 7.47 average, while Simon Kellum locked in third place with a 7.73 mark.

Lichner carried that same sharp precision straight into the big puzzle categories, crafting a dominant triple-crown performance across the day. In the 6x6x6 Cube final, he captured first place with an impressive winning average of 1:32.92 and a best single of 1:29.70, besting runner-up Carter Thomas who logged 1:41.51 and third-place Ethan Cho who finished at 1:44.72. The 7x7x7 Cube final saw Lichner maintain his edge in a tightly contested finish, claiming victory with a 2:21.76 average ahead of Cho at 2:22.67 and Kucala at 2:49.07.

The specialty events generated equally thrilling sequences at Peoria Fall 2023. In Pyraminx, Simon Kellum paced a field of sixty-three solvers through three rounds, capturing the top spot with a blistering winning average of 2.44 seconds and an event-best single of 2.01 seconds. Carter Kucala claimed his second silver medal of the day with a 2.78 average, while Jacob Turrubiartes finished third at 3.24. Meanwhile, the Clock category delivered rapid turns across forty-two solvers, culminating in Carter Thomas seizing first place with a 3.97 average, followed by Reed W. Richardson in second at 4.66 and Elijah Ackerman taking third with 5.67.

Beyond the championship finals, the heart of this WCA competition belonged to the competitors achieving major personal milestones on the tournament floor. Sebastian Cervantes Camargo engineered massive breakthroughs across two events, dropping his Pyraminx personal best to 11.68 seconds to finish 41 percent faster and trimming his 3x3x3 Cube best to 19.14 seconds, an improvement of 25.7 percent. Elijah Moore similarly showcased rapid development, cutting his Pyraminx mark by 35.8 percent down to 6.79 seconds and improving his 3x3x3 Cube record by 28.3 percent to 17.97 seconds. Sameed Shaikh logged his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with a 5.82 solve while improving his 3x3x3 Cube best by 25.8 percent to 16.08 seconds.

Other competitors embraced fresh challenges by stepping up to new puzzles for the very first time. Spencer Chubb took on all five events, securing a 14th place finish in 3x3x3 Cube while registering first ever attempts in the 7x7x7 Cube at 5:41.38, the Clock at 15.40, and the 6x6x6 Cube at 3:46.06. Zachary Kaczmarczyk logged a first Clock mark of 24.00 seconds alongside personal bests of 5.74 in Pyraminx and 16.68 in 3x3x3 Cube. Alexander Paton achieved a 12th place finish in Pyraminx, set a new event best of 4.18 seconds, and made his first Clock run in 15.31 seconds. Leah Hamende recorded her first Pyraminx attempt at 5.89 seconds while cutting 23 percent off her 3x3x3 Cube best to reach 12.55 seconds, and Kenneth Norton clocked a first Pyraminx result of 6.48 seconds alongside a 13.73 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube.

For several participants, this speed cubing meet represented their first official steps in competitive solving. Avery Gadbury and Louis Wilson each tackled four events during their debuts, with Gadbury posting marks including 23.54 in 3x3x3 Cube and Wilson recording 21.93. Emily Ackerman and Keegan White both navigated three events in their first appearances, with White turning in a swift 7.08 second solve on the Pyraminx. Across every table, these debuts brought a fresh wave of talent into the fold, underscoring how quickly newcomers can establish themselves in modern speedcubing.

All fifteen podium placements throughout Peoria Fall 2023 were claimed by United States competitors, wrapping up a full slate of intense racing. From Lichner's triple gold performance to the dozens of individual milestones logged across the brackets, the gathering in Peoria demonstrated the high standard of preparation currently elevating the scene. As the season rolls forward, the results from Illinois prove that both established frontrunners and emerging talents are continuing to push puzzle solving to new heights.