Santa Ana Summer A 2023

Waden Cho turned in a standout performance at Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School, capturing two titles and recording a blistering 5.65 single in the 3x3x3 Cube to set the benchmark for a fast-paced day of solving. Held on August 19, 2023, Santa Ana Summer A 2023 welcomed 94 competitors to Santa Ana, California, USA, for a packed slate of speedcubing across seven rounds in three core events. Throughout the venue, the focus remained sharply on rapid progress, with solvers across all skill levels shaving significant time off their previous marks in the heart of Southern California.

The premier 3x3 results demonstrated intense competition across three full rounds of solving the classic Rubik's Cube. Cho claimed the top step of the podium in the final with a winning average of 7.56 seconds, alongside his best single of 6.95 in the round and his earlier 5.65 highlight. Australia's Anish Shanmugam took second place with an average of 7.81 seconds, having also posted a swift 6.38 single earlier in the day. Shane Grogan rounded out the podium in third place with an 8.54 average, completing an elite top trio from a starting field of 92 entrants in the main event.

Cho also asserted his dominance in the larger puzzles, leading the 5x5x5 Cube event from start to finish. In a contest featuring 53 competitors over two rounds, Cho secured victory with an average of 58.35 seconds, standing as the only solver to crack the one-minute barrier. His best single of 48.57 seconds underscored his commanding form. Amogh Adluri secured the silver medal with a solid 1:03.73 average, while Korea's Kyeongmin Choi took third place with an average of 1:09.42, adding another medal to an already diverse international podium spread.

In the Megaminx, Kyeongmin Choi delivered a masterclass on the twelve-sided puzzle, taking the title with a remarkable winning average of 32.99 seconds. Choi set the pace early and maintained control through both rounds, finishing with a best single of 31.34 seconds. The American contingent was led by Terrence Cao, who earned second place with a 43.71 average, while Novaleigh Bui of Vietnam took third place with an average of 45.72. The event highlighted the technical versatility required at this WCA competition, testing finger dexterity and pattern recognition across 52 competitors.

The 3x3x3 Cube rounds also witnessed a wave of standout marks from across the international field. Daniel Song of Canada registered a 7.96 single and a 9.11 average, while Aaron Do recorded an 8.21 single and a 9.21 average for the United States. Ruby Lu delivered a 7.86 single and a 9.30 average, followed by Joel Kim with an 8.16 single and a 9.60 average. Jackson Stempke finished with an 8.60 single and a 9.62 average, and Margot Audero logged an impressive 7.60 single alongside a 9.75 average, showing deep talent through the middle brackets of the competition.

Beyond the podium battles, Santa Ana Summer A 2023 proved to be a breakthrough arena for competitors making massive personal strides. Ian Valle demonstrated tremendous growth across two events, dropping his 5x5x5 Cube mark by 35.5 percent down to 1:37.89 and his 3x3x3 Cube time by 23.6 percent to 12.60 seconds. Richard Hyrum Weber took on three events and lowered his Megaminx time by 29.7 percent to 1:54.01, while also improving his 3x3x3 Cube best by 24.6 percent to 13.04 seconds. Andersen Katsev reduced his 5x5x5 Cube standard by 28.5 percent to 2:44.18, and Bradley Chiu chopped 20.1 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube mark to finish in 20.75 seconds.

The spirit of self-improvement extended to new event entries and career milestones as well. Maximilian Hernandez entered three events, achieved a 12th-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube with a new personal best of 8.37 seconds, dropped his 5x5x5 Cube time by 19.4 percent to 1:24.37, and completed his first ever Megaminx attempt in 1:48.26. Ian Park tackled three events, posting his first ever attempts in 5x5x5 Cube in 4:46.09 and Megaminx in 2:02.69, while improving his 3x3x3 Cube time by 22.2 percent to 19.71 seconds. Colin Xiang and Neal Qu each made their first appearance at an official cubing competition, with Xiang posting marks of 16.10 in 3x3x3 Cube and 2:28.30 in 5x5x5 Cube, while Qu registered 19.03 in 3x3x3 Cube and 3:02.18 in Megaminx.

The single-day meet highlighted how much speed cubing continues to thrive across the region, bringing together competitors representing the United States, Korea, Australia, Canada, and Vietnam. The podium breakdown saw five medals for the United States, two for Korea, and one each for Australia and Vietnam, reflecting a competitive balance across the three disciplines. With rapid progress seen at every tier of the standings, Santa Ana Summer A 2023 concluded as a showcase of individual dedication, setting high benchmarks for the rest of the 2023 calendar.