Rocky Top 2023

Inside Rocky Top Sports World, the sprawling hall bustled as tables filled with timers, mats, and puzzles of every shape. The venue in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA welcomed competitors and spectators across December 2 to December 3 for a massive display of competitive turning. Over the course of the two-day gathering, the focus inside the arena remained sharp as solvers prepared their hardware under bright tournament lighting, trading practice turns and sharing inspection routines across 28 total rounds of scheduled play.

A total of 163 competitors gathered for Rocky Top 2023, making it one of the premier speedcubing events of the late 2023 calendar. The program offered a complete test of skill, featuring 14 distinct events that ranged from the classic Rubik's Cube to intricate big cubes and memory challenges. The sheer variety in the schedule ensured that every discipline of modern speed cubing had its moment on the stage, drawing contenders from across the region to test their preparation.

Luke Garrett delivered an extraordinary series of performances across the weekend, claiming victory in eight separate disciplines. In the main 3x3x3 Cube event, Garrett captured the top spot with a winning average of 6.08 seconds across four rounds, also locking down the best single solve of the tournament at 4.81. Garrett led a field of 158 competitors, finishing ahead of Luke Griesser with an average of 6.52 and Caleb Chen with 6.87 to secure the marquee 3x3 results.

Garrett continued his sweep across both shorter and longer formats throughout the competition. He secured the 2x2x2 Cube title with an average of 1.43 seconds, Pyraminx with a 2.38 average, and 4x4x4 Cube with a mark of 25.86. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Garrett posted a winning average of 9.83 seconds, featuring a best single of 7.18. He also claimed first place in 5x5x5 Cube with a 53.35 average, Megaminx with 37.39, and 7x7x7 Cube with a time of 2:25.97, completing one of the most prolific weekends in recent memory.

Away from the top step of the podium, several other specialists produced standout performances in Gatlinburg. Ayden Dincher earned first place in Skewb with a 3.11 winning average after putting up a rapid 1.08 single. Eddie Artze captured the Clock title with a 4.86 average, edging Jude Stradtner who took second in 5.19. Matthew Remington emerged victorious in Square-1 with an average of 9.90 seconds, while Katie Hull delivered a winning mark of 1:47.85 in 6x6x6 Cube ahead of Garrett and Jared Stinson.

The blindfolded events at this WCA competition were controlled by Calix Tang, who showed exceptional precision across both events. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Tang took first place with a single solve of 22.12 seconds, finishing clear of Garrett who clocked 46.23 and Miles Greco at 1:06.68. Tang doubled his gold tally in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, recording a winning time of 6:43.44 on a single solve to lead Chad Harris at 8:10.91 and Greco at 8:11.79 in a grueling single-round test.

Beyond the championship races, the weekend provided an expansive stage for personal milestones and competitive debuts. Aiden Martinez achieved a significant personal best in Pyraminx, clocking a 5.12 that was 43.9 percent faster than their previous mark of 9.12, while also completing their first official attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 37.03 and Clock with 16.85. Jude Fleming took on all 14 events on the schedule, recording first attempts in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with 1:57.11, 2x2x2 Cube with 2.61, and One-Handed with 30.22 on the way to a sixth-place finish in 4x4x4 Blindfolded. Dagan Foreman took on 11 events, posting initial official marks in Megaminx with 2:48.96, 2x2x2 Cube with 5.08, and 7x7x7 Cube with 8:43.70.

First-time event entries continued across the roster as competitors expanded their repertoires at Rocky Top 2023. Field Noble entered 11 events and completed first official solves in 6x6x6 Cube with 4:20.96, Square-1 with 21.12, and Skewb with 7.53. Gabriel Valenzuela tackled 12 events, logging first attempts in Square-1 at 33.23, 7x7x7 Cube at 9:17.11, and 5x5x5 Cube at 2:49.06. Addison Eaton logged debuts in Pyraminx at 10.06, Megaminx at 4:00.90, and Skewb at 11.06 across 10 events. Jeremy Lauten registered first attempts in 2x2x2 Cube with 2.26, One-Handed with 31.33, and 4x4x4 Cube with 1:06.51, while Carter Cheek posted debut marks in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:49.08, Pyraminx at 4.94, and One-Handed at 47.34.

The depth of play across all 28 rounds reflected the high level of execution present throughout the tournament hall. United States competitors secured all 42 available podium positions across the 14 disciplines, cementing an emphatic sweep of the top placements. As timers reset for the final time and the venue cleared, the event stood as a benchmark gathering in Tennessee, highlighting both seasoned champions and advancing solvers at the close of the competitive season.