Singapore AMK CC Cubing A 2023

One hundred and fifteen competitors gathered under one roof on June 3, 2023, turning Ang Mo Kio Community Centre into a bustling hub of activity. The one-day WCA competition brought together solvers from across the region to Singapore, Singapore, creating an environment where camaraderie between rounds mattered just as much as the action on the timing mats. Across 13 intense rounds of speedcubing, participants shared solves, analyzed techniques, and supported one another through every turn of the puzzle.

The centerpiece of the schedule was the classic Rubik's Cube, featuring the entire 115-person field across three rounds of play. When the final round wrapped up, Firstian Fushada of Indonesia stood atop the 3x3 results with a winning average of 7.02 seconds, supplemented by a best single solve of 5.73 seconds. Tee Kai Yang of Malaysia pushed the contest right to the wire, taking second place with an average of 7.03 seconds, while Jonathan Chng secured third place for the host nation with a 7.38-second mark.

Firstian Fushada proved to be the dominant force of Singapore AMK CC Cubing A 2023, claiming first place in three separate events and reaching the podium in all six disciplines. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Firstian Fushada posted a winning average of 1.60 seconds, holding off Singapore's Nigel Phang at 1.86 seconds and Andrew Tan Jing Bang at 2.39 seconds. Over in the 4x4x4 Cube, the Indonesian standout posted a 28.30-second winning average, ahead of Tee Kai Yang at 31.81 seconds and Jonathan Chng at 32.05 seconds.

The side events provided their own drama throughout the afternoon schedule. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, Tee Kai Yang earned the top step with a 9.98-second average, followed by Firstian Fushada with 12.13 seconds and Jonathan Chng with 15.83 seconds. Pyraminx saw China's Huining Huang put on a masterclass, averaging 2.06 seconds to beat Firstian Fushada at 3.31 seconds and Nigel Phang at 4.63 seconds. In Skewb, Nigel Phang triumphed on home soil with a 3.01 average, edging Firstian Fushada at 3.50 seconds and Rafael Fong Kang Li at 3.76 seconds.

Beyond the top podiums, the heartbeat of the cubing competition lay in the breakthroughs achieved by solvers charting new territory. Jake Phua Zheng Jie entered four events, logged a first ever attempt at Skewb with an 11.57, and cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 1.21 seconds, a massive 64.3 percent improvement over his prior 3.39 mark, alongside a 43.27 personal best in 4x4x4 Cube. Shahid Syukri Bin Saifulbahri contested four events, making his first ever attempt at Pyraminx with 9.41 and a first ever 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 2:13.09, while slashing his 2x2x2 Cube best to 3.24 seconds, 56.3 percent faster than before. Rao Junsheng dropped his 2x2x2 Cube best to 5.23 seconds, an improvement of 58.7 percent, posted a 19.68 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube, and logged a first ever 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 1:38.10. Meanwhile, Cohen Tan made a first ever attempt at Pyraminx with 6.59 seconds, reduced his Skewb best to 8.80 seconds for a 50.9 percent drop, and lowered his 2x2x2 Cube time to 4.12 seconds.

That same energy carried through the rest of the venue as other competitors embraced new challenges. Yeo Jun Wei Christian competed in six events, took a best finish of 10th in Pyraminx, registered a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 30.71 seconds, and dropped his 2x2x2 Cube mark to 2.59 seconds, 46.4 percent faster than his previous best. Kaeden Loh tackled six events to earn a best finish of 7th in 2x2x2 Cube, posted a first ever Skewb attempt of 6.03 seconds, and took 40.7 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube best to reach 1:03.17. Ethan Ang Yuan Jie entered five disciplines, setting a Pyraminx personal best of 14.26 seconds that was 42.7 percent faster than before, while logging his first attempts at both 3x3x3 One-Handed with 34.80 seconds and 4x4x4 Cube with 1:30.66. Abel Leong tackled five events, recording his first attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 1:01.61, a first Skewb attempt of 12.02 seconds, and a 3.07 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube, which was 37.7 percent faster.

The medal distribution across the six events highlighted deep local and international talent in the room. Singapore led all nations with seven podium finishes across the program, followed closely by Indonesia with six, Malaysia with four, and China with one. For many in the hall, the thrill of speed cubing was amplified by the close margins and the supportive community gathered around every solving station.

When the final timers reset at Singapore AMK CC Cubing A 2023, the event had delivered memorable performances and countless individual triumphs. Solvers packed up their cubes and exchanged congratulations, wrapping up a full day of dedicated problem-solving. As the community looks ahead to future stops on the competitive calendar, the friendships and personal bests forged at Ang Mo Kio Community Centre will remain a high point of the 2023 season.