Richmond Favourites 2023

A blistering 5.29 single on the 3x3x3 Cube set the tone for an explosive day of speedcubing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. That rapid solve propelled American standout Max Siauw straight to the top of the leaderboard, capturing the main event title with a winning average of 6.12 seconds across three competitive rounds. The single-day WCA competition on January 14, 2023, gathered 84 competitors to contest 12 events across 17 rounds of intense solving, kicking off the year with top-tier performances across every format.

The premier 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube category featured a massive field of 78 competitors, delivering some of the most competitive 3x3 results seen in the region. Siauw held off fierce contention in the final round, where fellow American Sameer Aggarwal secured second place with a 6.67 average and Jonathan Truchot took third place with a 7.82 average. Siauw commanded the upper brackets across several disciplines, also earning victories in Square-1 with a 6.23 average, 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:28.91 mark, and 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:24.27 winning average.

Fast-paced turning also dominated the 2x2x2 Cube, where 52 competitors battled through two intense rounds. Canadian talent Owen de Greeff secured the title with a tournament-winning average of 3.06 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 2.54. He finished ahead of fellow Canadians Daniel Ahokas, who averaged 3.71 for silver, and Peter Barnwell, who claimed the bronze step with a 3.81 average. The rapid nature of the 2x2 bracket delivered high drama as competitors executed complex algorithms in mere blinks of an eye.

Beyond the traditional puzzles, the cubing competition saw versatile excellence across multiple specialty disciplines. Ash Black produced a standout double victory, securing top honors in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 13.52 seconds ahead of Kenny Zhong and Jacob Kotai, before clinching the Skewb title with a 3.19 average ahead of Kotai and Levi de Greeff. Kotai topped the podium in Pyraminx with a sharp 3.25 average, while Michele Cavezza took first in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 31.29 average, edging out Luke Jankowiak.

The larger puzzles and memory events further highlighted the depth of the gathering. Sameer Aggarwal took victory in the 5x5x5 Cube, logging a winning average of 58.66 seconds with a best single of 52.37. Jack Anderson dominated the Megaminx event, finishing with a 52.86 average, while Kevin Matthews mastered the concentration required for the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, recording a winning average of 46.78 seconds with a best single solve of 33.98 seconds.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors delivered massive leaps forward in their official solving marks. Mostafa Mahran delivered the single largest reduction of the weekend, dropping his 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 59.5 percent down to 57.38 seconds, while also trimming his 5x5x5 Cube mark to 2:00.39 and his Square-1 best to 26.78. Maverick Billings improved his 3x3x3 personal best by 44.7 percent to 30.56 seconds, while also taking on his first ever attempts in Skewb with an 11.14 and Pyraminx with a 9.04 to finish tenth. Liam Tu cut 43.4 percent off his 2x2x2 best to reach 2.14 seconds and took fourth overall in the 3x3x3 Cube, while Joaquin Samson slashed his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 38.5 percent to 29.49 seconds.

The spirit of growth was equally evident in those tackling brand new puzzles and debuts on the official stage. Marcas Yu logged his first ever attempts at 4x4x4 Cube with a 2:23.98 and 2x2x2 Cube with a 6.87, alongside a 37.4 percent improvement on Pyraminx down to 14.80. Lawrence Li made his first attempts in Skewb at 5.94 for an eighth-place finish and 4x4x4 Cube at 54.37. Debutant Daniel Yu entered four events at his first competition, recording a 31.10 in 3x3x3, 4.87 in 2x2x2, and 15.82 in Skewb, while fellow newcomer Gabriel Chaho made his start with official solves across four disciplines including a 7.71 on 2x2x2.

By the conclusion of Richmond Favourites 2023, the international medal count saw competitors from the United States claim 20 podium places and Canadian athletes secure 16 podium places. The packed schedule demonstrated the vibrant appetite for speed cubing in British Columbia, bringing together seasoned champions and eager beginners on the same stage. As the 2023 calendar unfolds, the remarkable speed and rapid personal milestones recorded at Richmond Favourites 2023 set an impressive baseline for the season ahead.