Saint John's Scramble 2023

Eighty-six competitors gathered on April 1, 2023, filling Saint John's High School with intense energy as the Saint John's Scramble 2023 brought top-tier speedcubing to Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, USA. The single-day tournament tested solvers across six separate events and eleven total rounds. Spectators and families watched the tables closely as local favorite Daniel Gutierrez rose to the occasion in the flagship 3x3x3 Cube, delivering a commanding performance on familiar regional soil.

Daniel Gutierrez delivered a standout display across three full rounds of the traditional Rubik's Cube, setting the pace for the regional crowd. Gutierrez clinched the title with a tournament-winning average of 7.80 seconds, bolstered by a blistering single solve of 6.34 seconds. The final round of 3x3 results solidified his victory over Jonah Crosby, who secured the runner-up spot with an 8.64 average, while Derek White took third place with a mark of 8.76.

Darren Saito turned the Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, USA gathering into a multi-discipline showcase, topping the podium in three different events throughout the day. Saito took first place in the 2x2x2 Cube with an exceptional 1.62 winning average and a single of 1.33 across two rounds. Levi Gibson claimed second place with a 2.16 average, while Daniel Gutierrez earned another podium spot by taking third with 2.23.

Darren Saito continued his dominant run in the 3x3x3 One-Handed competition, mastering the puzzle with one hand to win with a 12.01 average and a best single of 10.18. Gutierrez pushed him closely, finishing second with a 12.56 average, while Jeffrey Li earned third place at 14.87. Saito also claimed the 4x4x4 Cube crown in a tight single-round contest, posting a winning average of 30.54 to edge out Jonah Crosby at 30.97 and Cameron Soulagnet at 31.51.

The side events provided equally compelling drama at this WCA competition. In the Skewb event, Saisabari Ramesh captured the top prize with an average of 3.73 seconds and an event-best single of 1.74 across two rounds, finishing ahead of Darren Saito who took second at 4.37 and Derek White in third at 4.60. The Pyraminx contest saw Krish Shah-Nathwani claim victory with a sharp 2.84 average, leading Elijah Rain Phelps at 3.68 and Jacob Schwartz at 4.46.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants delivered massive personal milestones that defined the competitive depth of the weekend. Jordan Blaustein set three personal bests across five events, dropping their 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 25.37, an improvement of 53.8 percent, and cutting their 4x4x4 Cube time by 36.2 percent to 1:24.40. Jonas Kraijesteijn took on six events and achieved a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 1.70, which was 56.4 percent faster than their previous benchmark, alongside an 8.63 personal best in Skewb.

The tournament also offered an ideal stage for speed cubing milestones and first-time ventures into new events. Angela M. Unruh tackled the 4x4x4 Cube for the first time with a 56.64 attempt while improving her 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 42.1 percent down to 3.86. Arya Kodumuru dropped their 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 44.5 percent to 59.06 across six events, and Alexander Ryan Johnson logged his first official attempts in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 1:01.43, 2x2x2 Cube at 5.09, and Skewb at 9.17. Alexander Bronski made his WCA debut by entering four events, recording a 6.44 in 2x2x2 Cube and a 9.97 in Pyraminx. William Carlone set a 34.1 percent personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed at 42.00, while Lucas Zielfelder notched his first Skewb attempt at 14.70 and improved his 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 32.1 percent to 3.78.

A series of benchmark times were logged in the 2x2x2 Cube as competitors across the board refined their marks. Levi Gibson posted a single of 2.32 and an average of 3.23, Derek White notched a 2.55 single and 3.21 average, Chris Yeager logged a 1.86 single and 2.62 average, and Jeffrey Li recorded a 1.93 single and 2.88 average. Daniel Gutierrez also registered a 1.29 single and 3.14 average, while Nikhil Kosanam, Jonas Kraijesteijn, Ashrith Kora, Zane Crowder, and Bobby Kiernan each entered new times in the discipline.

All eighteen available podium positions across the tournament were claimed by competitors representing the United States, concluding a vibrant day of play in Shrewsbury. The Saint John's Scramble 2023 demonstrated the depth of the local speedcubing community, celebrating both veteran multi-event triumphs and dozens of individual breakthroughs across the regional circuit.