Selangor Ace Cube 2023

A total of 116 competitors assembled for a bustling weekend of speedcubing action in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, where the schedule across June 3 and June 4 featured 25 rounds spanning 10 distinct puzzles. Hosted at the Sri Emas International School, the tournament welcomed an influx of developing solvers testing their skills alongside top international talent. With events ranging from the classic 3x3x3 Cube to towering big cubes, the energy remained high from the very first solves through the climactic final rounds.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 115 contenders across three hard-fought rounds, ultimately belonging to Yiheng Wang. The standout solver delivered a winning average of 5.48 seconds to secure top honours, backed by a tournament-best single solve of 4.70 seconds. As fans monitored the 3x3 results throughout the weekend, the main stage highlighted the extraordinary precision required at the highest level of modern speed cubing.

Korea's Seung Hyuk Nahm authored an unforgettable campaign across several categories, capturing gold medals across five separate events. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Nahm took first place with a 25.23 average, finishing ahead of Hong Kong's Ivan Li Ka Leong at 27.14 and Taiwan's Yi-Fan Wu at 27.93. Nahm duplicated that winning form in the 5x5x5 Cube with a 39.67 average, again holding off Li Ka Leong with 43.96 and Wu with 47.78 on the podium.

Nahm's mastery over big cubes continued unbroken in the larger categories. In the 6x6x6 Cube, he took the title with a 1:15.82 average and a best single of 1:09.39. In the 7x7x7 Cube final, Nahm topped the field with a 1:53.79 average, leading Malaysia's Lim Hung at 2:00.94 and China's Anyu Zhang at 2:00.96. Nahm also demonstrated his dexterity in 3x3x3 One-Handed, claiming victory with a 12.03 average over Malaysia's Leong Ming Jun at 12.12 and Wu at 12.73.

Beyond the championship trophies, the true heart of the weekend lay in the remarkable personal milestones recorded across the venue. Jonathan Mak demonstrated tremendous growth by entering four events, taking his first ever attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 1:11.44 while slicing his 2x2x2 Cube personal best down to 3.80 seconds, an improvement of 52.1 percent over his previous mark of 7.93. Mak also improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 31.6 percent with a solve of 34.42 seconds. Yau Cheng Long took on six disciplines, logging initial tournament attempts of 2:34.95 in the 5x5x5 Cube and 30.80 in Square-1, while improving his 2x2x2 Cube best by 35.2 percent down to 3.42 seconds.

The ambition among competitors embracing new challenges was on full display across every round. Eason Tan took on seven events, recording first career attempts in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 39.84, Skewb with a 10.80, and the 6x6x6 Cube with a 3:26.60. Chia Jun Xi tackled four events, registering maiden tries of 16.49 in Skewb and 2:35.20 in the 4x4x4 Cube while slashing his Rubik's Cube best down to 25.36 seconds, a 31.1 percent leap. Joshua Tham Chern Siew expanded his repertoire with initial official marks in 2x2x2 Cube at 4.14, 4x4x4 Cube at 1:17.01, and One-Handed at 25.20. Lin Yu Xuan also built momentum across five events, posting first attempts of 14.49 in Skewb and 2:03.90 in the 4x4x4 Cube, alongside a 10.7 percent personal best drop to 4.66 in the 2x2x2 Cube.

Short-format puzzles delivered thrilling drama of their own in Petaling Jaya. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Huining Huang averaged a blistering 1.40 seconds to take first place, edging out Yiheng Wang at 1.50 seconds and Seung Hyuk Nahm at 2.36 seconds. Yee Wen Foo brought glory to the home nation by capturing the Skewb crown with a 3.14 average, followed by Hong Kong's Andy Mok Man Cheuk at 4.10 and Malaysia's Eng Dickson at 4.19.

Specialist events rounded out the diverse schedule with exceptional performances. Singapore's Tristan Chua Yong dominated the Megaminx with a 29.30 average, besting compatriot Isaac Lai Yin Chung at 38.61 and Ivan Li Ka Leong at 43.70. In Square-1, Camerone Chin led a Malaysian podium sweep with an 8.91 average, finishing ahead of Ng Jia Quan at 10.08 and Lim Hung at 10.48.

When the final timers were cleared at Selangor Ace Cube 2023, Malaysian competitors had accumulated eight podium places, flanked by seven for Korea and six for China. The energetic cubing competition in 2023 celebrated both elite global triumphs and personal breakthroughs, cementing this WCA competition as a memorable proving ground for seasoned veterans and aspiring solvers alike.

Kemenangan Yiheng Wang dalam acara Kiub Rubik 3x3x3 utama menerusi purata masa 5.48 saat dan catatan terpantas 4.70 saat menjadi tumpuan utama pada temasya Selangor Ace Cube 2023. Kejohanan yang berlangsung pada 3 hingga 4 Jun di Sri Emas International School, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, ini menghimpunkan 116 peserta yang bersaing dalam jadual padat merangkumi 10 acara dan 25 pusingan. Tahap saingan yang amat mendalam menjadikan laluan ke setiap peringkat akhir sangat mencabar.

Bagi acara 3x3x3 Cube yang disertai 115 peserta sepanjang tiga pusingan, hanya pencabar paling konsisten mampu mara. Di samping itu, Seung Hyuk Nahm dari Korea menampilkan persembahan luar biasa dengan merangkul kemenangan dalam pelbagai kategori. Beliau menjuarai 4x4x4 Cube dengan purata 25.23 saat, mengatasi Ivan Li Ka Leong yang mencatat 27.14 saat dan Yi-Fan Wu dengan 27.93 saat. Seung Hyuk Nahm turut menjuarai 3x3x3 One-Handed dengan purata 12.03 saat, mendahului wakil tuan rumah Leong Ming Jun yang merekodkan 12.12 saat.

Penguasaan Seung Hyuk Nahm berterusan dalam kategori kiub besar apabila beliau turut memenangi 5x5x5 Cube menerusi catatan purata 39.67 saat, meninggalkan Ivan Li Ka Leong di tangga kedua dengan 43.96 saat. Beliau turut mendominasi acara 6x6x6 Cube dengan purata kemenangan 1:15.82 dan catatan tunggal 1:09.39, serta menjuarai acara 7x7x7 Cube dengan purata 1:53.79 saat di hadapan Lim Hung yang mencatatkan 2:00.94 saat dan Anyu Zhang dengan 2:00.96 saat.

Dalam acara pantas 2x2x2 Cube, Huining Huang dari China merebut gelaran juara dengan purata 1.40 saat dan catatan tunggal 1.09 saat, mengatasi Yiheng Wang yang mencatat purata 1.50 saat serta Seung Hyuk Nahm di tangga ketiga dengan 2.36 saat. Skewb pula menyaksikan Yee Wen Foo dari Malaysia muncul juara dengan purata 3.14 saat menewaskan Andy Mok Man Cheuk dan Eng Dickson. Kategori Square-1 dimenangi oleh Camerone Chin dengan purata 8.91 saat, menewaskan rakan senegara Ng Jia Quan dan Lim Hung.

Di sebalik perebutan podium pada Selangor Ace Cube 2023, kejohanan cubing ini menjadi medan penting bagi ramai peserta mencipta kemajuan peribadi. Janson Bi Jun Xiong menyertai 7 acara, melakukan percubaan pertamanya dalam 5x5x5 Cube dengan masa 1:32.86, serta membaiki rekod peribadi 4x4x4 Cube kepada 38.23 saat iaitu 34.1 peratus lebih pantas, di samping catatan 3x3x3 One-Handed 18.12 saat yang 26.5 peratus lebih laju. Ng Si Cong yang beraksi dalam 6 acara mencatat 31.45 saat dalam percubaan sulung 3x3x3 One-Handed, selain mencatat 12.65 saat untuk 3x3x3 Cube iaitu 32.7 peratus lebih pantas dan 51.72 saat bagi 4x4x4 Cube.

Muhamad Baginda Bin Zainuddin turut mempamerkan peningkatan besar dalam 7 acara yang disertainya, mencatatkan masa 7.53 saat pada percubaan pertama 2x2x2 Cube serta membaiki rekod 7x7x7 Cube kepada 3:52.71 iaitu 33.3 peratus lebih pantas. Ng Yi Hong yang menyertai 4 acara mencatatkan 1:18.78 pada penampilan sulung 4x4x4 Cube dan meningkatkan masa 3x3x3 One-Handed kepada 14.17 saat, 33.8 peratus lebih pantas berbanding rekod lama. Andy Tan Jie Lek bertanding dalam 7 acara dengan catatan sulung 3.64 saat dalam 2x2x2 Cube serta catatan 20.17 saat bagi 3x3x3 One-Handed, manakala Adam Harits Bin Mohd Hairy mencatat 1:02.19 dalam percubaan pertama 4x4x4 Cube dan memperbaiki masa 3x3x3 One-Handed kepada 22.94 saat.

Bagi acara Megaminx, Tristan Chua Yong dari Singapore mempamerkan aksi cemerlang untuk muncul juara dengan purata 29.30 saat dan catatan tunggal 26.52 saat. Isaac Lai Yin Chung menduduki tempat kedua dengan 38.61 saat manakala Ivan Li Ka Leong di kedudukan ketiga dengan 43.70 saat. Pertandingan speedcubing ini menyaksikan Malaysia mengumpul lapan kedudukan podium secara keseluruhan, diikuti Korea dengan tujuh dan China dengan enam.

Penganjuran Selangor Ace Cube 2023 di Petaling Jaya membuktikan kehebatan bakat tempatan dan antarabangsa dalam satu pertandingan WCA yang berprestij tinggi. Setiap pusingan menuntut fokus dan ketahanan mental yang tinggi daripada setiap peserta sepanjang dua hari saingan pada tahun 2023 ini. Kejayaan para pemenang serta lonjakan rekod peribadi yang tercipta menjadi penanda aras kukuh bagi perkembangan arena sukan susun kiub pada musim-musim akan datang.