Sharon Forks Qualifier 2023

Inside the quiet study spaces of the Sharon Forks Library in Cumming, Georgia, USA, the typical weekend hush gave way to the sharp, rhythmic clicks of turning puzzles on February 11, 2023. Stacks of specialty hardware rested beside electronic timers as 49 solvers gathered across six scheduled rounds. The pressure of a dedicated qualifier was evident from the opening scrambles, with competitors pushing to secure qualifying times and tournament benchmarks under strict championship conditions.

For those chasing titles at the Sharon Forks Qualifier 2023, the one-day schedule presented high stakes across five demanding disciplines. Speedcubing programs often showcase the classic Rubik's Cube, but this qualifying fixture put technical mastery to the test across larger hardware, specialty mechanisms, and memory-intensive blindfolded attempts. With qualification cutoffs looming over every stage, solvers had to balance raw pace with precision turning to keep their tournament ambitions alive.

The multi-layered puzzles produced an intense duel across the big cube categories. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Vishwa Sankar earned the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 1:42.17 and a best single time of 1:40.93 across 33 competitors. Katie Hull secured second place with an average of 1:45.24, while Sean Hartman took third in 1:48.53. Sankar demonstrated immense control through long reduction stages, setting the standard for the heavy hardware events.

Sean Hartman turned the tables when the tables turned to the 7x7x7 Cube. Outlasting a field of 27 entrants, Hartman claimed first place with a composed 2:36.79 average and a fast single of 2:32.67. Vishwa Sankar followed closely in the runner-up position at 2:38.98, while Katie Hull rounded out the podium positions with an average of 2:44.32. The margin separating the top three showed the extreme focus required to handle endurance solves under time limits.

Precision mechanics dominated the Clock event across two full rounds. Tommy Cherry led the 44-competitor field, taking victory with an outstanding average of 4.15 seconds after putting up a best single of 3.67. Jacob Evarts claimed second place with a 5.76 average, edging out Daniel Mullen who took third with 6.12. Cherry continued his masterclass in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, where solvers must memorize piece arrangements before donning a blindfold, capturing the win with a single of 15.37 seconds as Calix Tang took second in 20.92 and Sean Hartman placed third with 1:05.37. Blindfolded competitors were aiming for pure single marks rather than standard 3x3 results on the board.

In the twelve-sided Megaminx event, Jared Stinson delivered a dominant performance to top the 41-person field. Stinson posted a winning average of 37.12 seconds, highlighted by the best single of the event at 33.12. Vishwa Sankar added another podium finish to his tally by taking second place with a 46.89 average, while Calix Tang claimed third place at 47.38. The intricate piece-tracking required on the dodecahedron tested endurance and lookahead to the absolute limit.

Away from the top of the podium, the heart of this WCA competition belonged to competitors making dramatic breakthroughs across new events. Gabriel Valenzuela achieved a standout personal best in Clock with a time of 9.06 seconds, shaving 41 percent off his previous record of 15.36 while also posting a 3:32.04 in his first ever attempt at Megaminx. NJ Kim dropped their Megaminx personal best by 34.6 percent down to 1:03.79 and tackled the 6x6x6 Cube for the first time with a result of 3:55.61. Christian Gooding cut 29.8 percent off his 6x6x6 Cube best with a time of 5:34.06 and made his first Clock run in 34.57. Joseph Rozelle entered all five events, improving his 6x6x6 Cube time to 2:49.44 while recording his first official attempts in Megaminx at 1:38.76 and Clock at 14.53.

The spirit of growth continued through a busy lineup of fresh challenges. Matthew Remington took on five events, completing maiden official attempts in Megaminx at 2:27.03, 6x6x6 Cube at 3:47.16, and 7x7x7 Cube at 6:32.01. Benjamin Xia completed his first official attempts across three separate big puzzle formats, notching 5:06.23 in 6x6x6 Cube, 8:19.76 in 7x7x7 Cube, and 2:33.31 in Megaminx. Jackson Xander Bennett also expanded his portfolio across three disciplines, registering 3:01.73 in Megaminx, 5:20.91 in 6x6x6 Cube, and 8:31.00 in 7x7x7 Cube. Cullen McCoy logged three firsts of his own, recording 21.12 in Clock, 3:14.51 in Megaminx, and 8:27.74 in 6x6x6 Cube, embodying the depth of dedication throughout the venue.

The one-day cubing competition in Cumming proved how much drama and personal progress can unfold in a single sports hall. From the razor-thin margins at the top of the big cube ladders to the dozens of official milestones achieved across five distinct disciplines, the speed cubing community delivered a memorable showcase. Solvers packed away their puzzles with fresh personal benchmarks and critical qualifying marks secured for the competitive season ahead.