Perth Summer 2023

Alevio Hamizan Ersha delivered a masterclass under pressure to capture the 3x3x3 Cube title, securing victory with an 8.75 second average in the final round. Across four intense rounds of classic Rubik's Cube action, the Indonesian speedcubing standout held off a fierce challenge from Australia's Lachlan Stephens, who finished second with a 9.12 average, and Jonathan Charlesworth, who took third at 9.14. Ersha set the tone early in the weekend by logging a blistering 7.92 single, locking in the top step of the podium in the premier event.

The Stirling Community Centres - Jim Satchell venue hosted Perth Summer 2023 from January 21 to January 22, drawing 143 competitors to Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Across two action-packed days, the major WCA competition featured 19 rounds across eight distinct events. The championship-style format pushed competitors to deliver peak consistency, testing their composure through multiple qualification stages before reaching the finals in the 2023 season opener.

Jonathan Charlesworth emerged as one of the most prolific podium finishers of the entire meet. Charlesworth claimed top honours in the 2x2x2 Cube with a rapid 1.92 winning average, besting Stephens at 2.22 and Joshua Hounslow at 2.36. Charlesworth also secured victory in the Skewb event, averaging 3.39 seconds to defeat Tyler Williams at 3.91 and Regan Roberts at 5.31. In total, Charlesworth mounted five separate podium finishes across the weekend, demonstrating unmatched versatility across varied puzzle formats.

Joshua Hounslow matched that multi-event prowess by capturing two gold finishes of his own during the cubing competition. In the Pyraminx event, Hounslow took the title with a 2.72 average after notching an event-best single of 1.96, besting Amy Smith at 4.37 and Tyler Williams at 4.41. Hounslow returned to the top of the standings in the single-round Clock contest, putting together a decisive 7.40 winning average ahead of Williams and Charlesworth.

The longer and more technical puzzles brought their own high drama to the floor. Marquez Phan clinched the 4x4x4 Cube championship with a 34.15 average, punctuated by the only sub-30 solve of the event at 29.98 seconds, leading Zak Kenny and Hounslow. In Square-1, Josephine Siburian took gold with an 11.27 average, finishing ahead of Jonathan O'Neill and Charlesworth. James Holdsworth rounded out the list of event champions by conquering the Megaminx with a 48.15 average, leading Siburian and Charlesworth in a high-stakes final.

Beyond the championship podium battles, personal milestones and breakthroughs unfolded continuously on the competition floor. James Dalton produced one of the sharpest improvements of the weekend, cutting his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 59.3 percent down to 5.35 seconds, alongside maiden appearances in Skewb with a 13.91 and Pyraminx with a 14.38. Aiden Coertse dropped his 2x2x2 mark by 44.1 percent to 7.22 while logging first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 2:20.91 and Skewb at 9.38. Mason Macdonald lowered his Pyraminx personal best by 36.8 percent to 7.53, while taking on his first attempts in Skewb at 15.82 and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:39.35.

Sebastian Tjandra dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best to 14.84 seconds, an improvement of 34.9 percent, while logging a best finish of 15th in Pyraminx and first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube and Clock. Max Taylor showed substantial gains with a 34.12 3x3x3 Cube personal best, improving by 29.8 percent alongside first attempts in Pyraminx and 4x4x4 Cube. Finn Murphy lowered his 2x2x2 Cube standard by 29.3 percent to 5.78, Deakin Bui tackled seven events including first attempts in Square-1, 4x4x4 Cube, and Megaminx, and Ciaran Daniel Seaton entered five events with first attempts in Pyraminx, Skewb, and 4x4x4 Cube.

The weekend also entered the record books thanks to Javad Mahbubi of Afghanistan, who established a new national record single of 2.92 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube event. Australian competitors accumulated 23 total podium positions across the eight events, with Indonesia claiming one title courtesy of Ersha. The smooth organisation throughout the 19 rounds highlighted the competitive depth present in the Western Australian speed cubing community.

When the final solves were counted and the official 3x3 results verified, Perth Summer 2023 cemented itself as an exceptional start to the year. From dominant multi-discipline champions to record-setting single solves and hundreds of individual personal milestones, the gathering at Jim Satchell proved that every single turn on the competition mat carries weight.