Rose City 2023

Max Siauw delivered an emphatic statement on the main stage in Portland, Oregon, USA, capturing the marquee 3x3x3 Cube title with a 6.68 winning average and a lightning-fast 5.91 single. That standout display anchored a remarkable multi-event showcase at University Place Hotel on May 6, 2023. Yet the sheer difficulty of reaching that deciding round defined the day, as a crowded schedule pushed contenders through 12 total rounds of intense action across six distinct puzzles.

A total of 76 competitors converged for Rose City 2023, creating dense brackets where every single turn mattered. The classic Rubik's Cube drew 74 participants into a three-round gauntlet, making advancement to the final eight exceptionally demanding. Siauw held off fierce pressure in the final from Asher Kim-Magierek, who took second place with a 6.84 average, and William Greninger, who secured third with a 7.02 average in a remarkably close contest for the podium.

Beyond the standard puzzle, the breadth of speedcubing disciplines tested every aspect of mechanical mastery. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, 42 solvers vied for position over two rounds, with Wade Hawkins emerging victorious with an average of 11.84 and a 10.58 single. Hawkins outpaced Sameer Aggarwal, who locked down second place with a 12.29 mark, and Asher Kim-Magierek, who added another medal to his tally in third place at 12.91.

The depth of talent across the venue was equally evident on the larger and alternative puzzles. Max Siauw added two more titles to his ledger by conquering both the 6x6x6 Cube and Clock. On the large six-layer puzzle, Siauw posted a 1:30.03 average to finish ahead of Sameer Aggarwal at 1:35.69 and William Greninger at 1:55.92. In Clock, Siauw recorded a 6.23 winning average, leading Benjamin Gottschalk with 9.07 and Philip Lanthrum with 9.65.

The single-round Megaminx contest saw 34 competitors tackle the twelve-sided puzzle, where Ethan Davis took gold with a standout 34.53 average and a 31.89 single. Sameer Aggarwal claimed his third silver medal of the day with a 49.66 average, just ahead of Max Siauw in third at 50.36. Meanwhile, the Skewb event brought 39 competitors through two fast rounds, where Eli Kirk claimed victory with a 3.57 average over Greyson James at 3.78 and Asher Kim-Magierek at 3.85.

Beneath the top podium battles, the official cubing competition provided plenty of remarkable personal breakthroughs across the floor. Lazarus Garcia entered five events and recorded a massive Skewb personal best of 3.20, which was 71.7 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside a 20.64 in 3x3x3 One-Handed that was 26.6 percent faster. Harper Wicker-Lenseigne logged a Clock personal best of 19.86, cutting 41 percent off their previous best, and also achieved a 7.80 personal best in Skewb while taking on their first ever attempt at one-handed solving in 41.17.

Other solvers similarly capitalized on their chances in Portland. Kovin Evarts tackled six events, achieving a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 4:20.00 to improve by 37.1 percent, and dropped their Megaminx personal best by 27.6 percent down to 1:46.49. Arthur Faneite Heredia took 35.7 percent off their previous standard in Megaminx with a 3:23.93 personal best. Gabe McBee set a Clock personal best of 14.72, an improvement of 38.3 percent. Echo Kelber made their official debut in four events, recording their first ever attempt at Megaminx in 1:51.37 and a 13.44 single in 3x3x3 Cube. Bryce Tieu took on four events, logging first attempts in Skewb at 12.10, one-handed at 1:01.37, and Clock at 18.49, while Nikita Marchenkov completed their first ever 6x6x6 Cube attempt in 3:46.40.

For the speed cubing community in the Pacific Northwest, the high volume of participants and competitive brackets showcased the rising standards across every event. Whether navigating three rounds to land on the 3x3 results sheet or setting individual milestones in first-time disciplines, the gathering highlighted the true strength of the region. As the 2023 calendar progresses, the performances registered at this WCA competition set an exacting benchmark for the season ahead.