SacQuiet Fall 2023

Thirteen competitors gathered as the calendar shifted into mid-September for a specialized test of memory and algorithmic efficiency. SacQuiet Fall 2023 opened its single-day schedule on September 16, 2023, marking a crucial late-season fixture for specialist solvers in North Highlands, California, USA. Hosted at a Private Residence, the intimate gathering focused entirely on side disciplines that demand intense concentration. The one-day cubing competition offered four classic events across four total rounds, serving as a high-stakes proving ground before the final stretch of the year.

The spotlight of this WCA competition belonged to Graham Siggins, who completed a commanding sweep across every blindfolded discipline on the schedule. Siggins established his dominance early in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, securing victory with a massive 53/64 solved within 59:49. In a contest testing extreme endurance and cognitive retention, Stone Amsbaugh locked down second place with 15/20 in 53:14, while David Karalli captured third place by resolving 13/18 in 58:29. The victory cemented Siggins as the pacesetter for complex memory events during the autumn stretch.

Siggins continued his sweep in the big-cube blindfolded disciplines, putting together unmatched individual performances. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Siggins claimed top honours on the podium with a winning single time of 1:45.38. Anto Kam of Hong Kong delivered a solid 3:04.44 single to capture second place, while Stone Amsbaugh secured another podium spot with a third-place finish of 6:07.06. With ten competitors attempting the four-layered blind challenge, the pressure was unrelenting from the opening inspection.

The 5x5x5 Blindfolded competition proved equally rewarding for Siggins, who took gold with an event-winning average of 3:54.62 and a blistering best single of 3:51.73. Anto Kam earned a second runner-up medal of the day with a single of 16:08.00, while David Karalli rounded out the top three by posting 16:59.00. The double podium by Kam represented the only international hardware of the event, as solvers from the USA gathered the remaining ten podium positions across the board.

In the technical discipline of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, David Karalli engineered a victory through calculation and efficiency. Karalli secured first place with a 35.00 winning average, highlighted by a single attempt of 31 moves. Dan Pastushkov matched the 35.00 average with a best single of 33 to take second place, while Abhimanyu Singhal completed the podium in third with a 35.33 average and a single of 32 moves. Fans following classic Rubik's Cube variants saw intense tactical scrutiny applied to every turn, making the standard 3x3 results look effortless by comparison.

Away from the top of the podium, several dedicated competitors achieved major milestones that the raw standings might otherwise obscure. Miguel Diaz took on all four events on the schedule and registered a standout day of firsts, posting his first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a mark of 45, his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 12:09.00, and his first ever attempt in 5x5x5 Blindfolded with 23:41.00, which secured him a best finish of 4th place. Richard Anthony Parada delivered a substantial breakthrough in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, lowering his personal best to 33 moves from 42, an improvement of 21.4 percent, while also placing 5th in 5x5x5 Blindfolded across his four events.

Other veteran participants maximized their opportunities at SacQuiet Fall 2023 across specialized fields. TJ Kelly entered two events and earned a best finish of 4th place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 51.67 average. Chris Martin concentrated on a single event, locking down 5th place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a 52.33 average. Jason Ostdiek tackled three disciplines and recorded a best finish of 4th place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a score of 3/5 in 31:48. Michael Larsen handled four events and earned 6th place in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, while Emmett O'Leary-Liu competed in two disciplines to secure 8th place in 4x4x4 Blindfolded.

The precision required throughout the gathering highlighted the diverse skillset present within modern speedcubing communities. Whether calculating the shortest possible sequence on paper or reviewing hundreds of memorized image pairs, the participants exhibited remarkable stamina under quiet competition conditions. The focus and poise demanded by long-format speed cubing events set this late-season date apart from standard weekend opens.

As the final attempts concluded, SacQuiet Fall 2023 delivered a decisive chapter in the 2023 regional season. With Siggins asserting dominance across the blindfold events and Karalli mastering fewest moves, the weekend in North Highlands provided clear benchmarks as competitors prepare to reset their sights on the upcoming seasonal campaigns.