Please Be Quiet Pickering 2023

Elliott Kobelansky delivered a commanding performance on April 16, 2023, turning in a lightning-fast 14.58 single to capture the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title and anchor a sweep of every memory event on the schedule. Held at the George Ashe Library in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, the single-day competition gathered 34 competitors across 6 events and 7 rounds of high-intensity solving. While standard speedcubing tests visual execution, blindfolded disciplines demand absolute mental stillness, requiring participants to memorize piece orientations entirely before lowering a blindfold and executing complex movement algorithms without visual feedback.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event saw Kobelansky lead a field of 31 entrants, eventually taking top honors on the podium ahead of Igor Pertoso Lazdan, who posted a best single of 57.46, and Ben Bergen, who finished third with 1:00.39. Fans following the 3x3 results witnessed a showcase of extreme focus, where even minor hesitation can lead to a solved state slipping away. Kobelansky also registered a record single of 16.47 and a record average of 18.01 in the discipline, setting an exceptionally high standard for the entire meet.

Beyond the classic 3x3 layout, Kobelansky carried his momentum directly into the larger puzzles. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Kobelansky clinched first place with a single of 1:23.64, besting Bergen, who secured the runner-up spot in 7:09.09, and Austin Reed from the USA, who earned third place with a time of 8:16.03. The difficulty scaled further in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, an event contested by 8 specialists where Kobelansky took the victory with a 3:45.54 single, while Reed claimed second place in 24:09.00 amid a round that saw multiple competitors record uncompleted attempts.

The pinnacle of endurance at Please Be Quiet Pickering 2023 came during the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, where competitors analyze dozens of separate puzzles in a single hour. Kobelansky finished atop the standings by successfully solving 36 out of 45 cubes within the 1:00:00 time limit. Kai Wen Yang took second place on the podium by solving 11 of 13 cubes in 59:22, while Bergen rounded out the top three by successfully registering 13 of 21 cubes in 58:36, proving the depth of Canadian blindfolded talent.

Away from the blindfolds, the big cubes brought pure visual speed to the George Ashe Library tables. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Hong Kong competitor Burno Li Chak Kwan secured victory across 25 entrants with a winning average of 1:31.81 and a best single of 1:29.77. Max Xiong from China took second place with a 1:44.28 average, while Canadian solver Roan Paone secured third with an average of 1:59.86. The precision handling demanded by these multi-layered puzzles made every turn crucial throughout the single round.

The 7x7x7 Cube saw a reversal at the top between the two leading contenders. Xiong claimed first place with a 2:07.87 winning average and a best single of 2:01.76, edging Li Chak Kwan, who finished second with an average of 2:28.97. Paone again stood on the podium, taking third place with an average time of 3:02.26. The 23 competitors in the event managed the physical demands of turning the largest official Rubik's Cube puzzle under strict time limits.

Beyond the podium finishes, this cubing competition provided a platform for remarkable individual leaps across the scoreboard. Abdullah Gulab achieved an enormous breakthrough in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, setting a personal best of 10:44.00, which was 62.3% faster than his previous mark of 28:28.00, alongside a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 2:37.08. Alyssa Esparaz made a huge stride in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best of 4:43.54, improving by 54.4% over her prior 10:22.00 mark. Max Kaloshi trimmed his 7x7x7 Cube personal best by 30.1% down to 3:54.88 while also dropping his 6x6x6 Cube time to 2:35.74.

First attempts at demanding events highlighted the ambition present at the venue. Calvin Chiu tackled 3x3x3 Multi-Blind for the first time, achieving 2/4 cubes in 30:26 to secure a 6th-place finish. Michael Mao recorded his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a time of 1:52.32 while cutting his 7x7x7 Cube personal best by 10.6% to 3:34.95. Matthew Kang Lu made his first appearance in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a 2:23.70 single. Daniel Laurenza logged a first attempt in the 7x7x7 Cube with a mark of 9:26.89, and Justin Bohart completed his initial attempt at the 6x6x6 Cube with a time of 7:21.74.

Across the entire day, the quiet concentration of the blindfolded stages balanced the rapid pace of the big-cube rotations. With fifteen podium placements going to host-nation Canada, three to the USA, two each to Hong Kong and China, and one to South Africa, Please Be Quiet Pickering 2023 offered a complete demonstration of top-level speed cubing skill. As the 2023 calendar progresses, the performances at this WCA competition stand as a testament to the dedication required in the sport.