Railroad City 2023

A blistering 1.57-second winning average on the 2x2x2 Cube by Chris Chi set the tone for an intense day of competition at Railroad City 2023. Taking place on September 23, 2023, at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA, the gathering brought together 43 competitors across 13 rounds of action. Solvers took to the stations to test their preparation on seven different disciplines, creating a memorable showcase of modern speedcubing in the heart of the region.

For several participants, this cubing competition marked the unforgettable experience of walking up to an official station for the first time. The atmosphere of a debut WCA competition provides a unique test of nerves, as newcomers transition from home practice to the strict regulations and official timers of sanctioned play. Stepping onto the stage for the very first time, these new solvers experienced the full rhythm of competition, learning to manage inspection time and pressure alongside seasoned veterans.

The 3x3x3 Cube, the classic Rubik's Cube event, saw 43 contenders battle across three full rounds. AJ Kamal earned the victory with an 8.01-second average in the final round, highlighted by a sharp 7.60 single. Hassan Khanani claimed the second spot on the podium with an 8.28 average, while Chris Chi followed closely in third at 8.57. The tight spread at the top of the 3x3 results reflected the deep talent present throughout the Altoona bracket.

Beyond the traditional three-layered puzzle, the weekend featured impressive versatility across a variety of twisty challenges. Evan Liu secured a pair of titles, capturing the Clock event with a 5.68-second average and dominating the 6x6x6 Cube with a winning mark of 1:45.55. In the Skewb final, Zayn Khanani took first place with a 2.31 average, besting Hassan Khanani at 3.65 and Chris Chi at 4.40. AJ Kamal collected another gold in Megaminx, finishing with a 43.37 average ahead of Zayn Khanani.

Behind the top podium spots, personal milestones defined the day for competitors chasing individual progress. Annabella Gowman delivered a standout performance in Skewb, recording a personal best of 9.46 seconds that cut 48.1 percent off her previous mark, alongside an 11 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube with a 50.24 solve. Brayden Greathouse took on four events, logging his first official attempts in Clock at 32.84 and Skewb at 10.03 while dropping his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 43.4 percent down to 5.23. Troy Lucas competed in six events, achieving a best finish of 14th in Megaminx behind a personal best of 1:49.31, which improved his previous benchmark by 37.9 percent, and registering debut marks in Clock and Skewb. Veda Cole similarly showed huge strides, improving her 2x2x2 Cube mark by 44.8 percent to 5.82 seconds while posting initial career times in Skewb and Clock.

Fresh faces made an immediate impact across the scoreboards as well. Asa VanderKelen entered three events, setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 12.93 seconds to improve by 15.4 percent, while securing 19th place in Megaminx on a first attempt of 3:18.90 and registering a 4.25 debut in the 2x2x2 Cube. First-time competitor Luke Smeal took on four events in his official debut, notching a 7.88 in Skewb, a 20.53 in Clock, and a 20.86 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Fellow newcomer Rhys Alloway tackled three events, posting debut marks of 5.17 in the 2x2x2 Cube, 9.90 in Skewb, and 25.58 on the 3x3x3 Cube. Reed Andrew Kaminski also completed his first tournament appearance across three disciplines, establishing marks of 8.12 in the 2x2x2 Cube, 15.80 in Clock, and 29.48 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The 2x2x2 Cube rounds generated high drama through three rounds of rapid-fire solves. Chris Chi claimed the title with his 1.57 average, holding off Hassan Khanani at 1.78 and Zayn Khanani at 2.04. In the blindfolded discipline, which demands complete memorisation of the puzzle before executing the solution unseen, Liam Chen earned the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown with a winning single of 19.59 seconds, the only sub-20 solve of the event, ahead of Hassan Khanani and Kevin Liu.

By the close of Railroad City 2023, the event had delivered a comprehensive snapshot of speed cubing skill, from high-stakes podium races to breakthrough first appearances. With 21 total podium positions earned by United States competitors across the seven events, the one-day gathering demonstrated the depth of the regional scene. Solvers departed Altoona with fresh personal records in hand, setting the stage for continued growth in the upcoming competitive season.