Sioux Falls Saturday 2023

Sixty-one competitors gathered under the roof of Peace Lutheran Church for an intense single-day slate of twisting puzzles, requiring intense concentration across 14 rounds of action. In any cubing competition, the purest test of mental focus comes down to precision under pressure, where solving without hesitation demands total command of every turn. Sioux Falls Saturday 2023 delivered that atmosphere on July 22, 2023, bringing the speedcubing community of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA together for an extraordinary day of high-stakes problem-solving.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a large lineup of 60 solvers through three competitive stages of Rubik's Cube mastery. Brian Johnson took the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 7.00 seconds, punctuated by a best single of 5.81 seconds. Close behind on the final 3x3 results sheet was Zeke Mackay, who claimed second place with an average of 7.19 seconds, while Brody Lassner rounded out the podium in third position with an average of 7.41 seconds.

Beyond the classic Rubik's Cube, Brian Johnson also demonstrated remarkable agility in Pyraminx, taking his second championship of the weekend. Across two rounds featuring 54 competitors, Johnson posted a winning average of 1.85 seconds and a best single mark of 1.64 seconds. Simon Kellum and Carter Kucala took second and third on the podium, both completing the final round with matching averages of 2.38 seconds in an exceptionally tight duel for the silver and bronze placements.

Big cubes brought a different physical challenge to the venue floor, led by Carter Bitz who secured a commanding double victory across the 5x5x5 Cube and 6x6x6 Cube categories. In the 5x5x5 Cube final, Bitz earned victory with an average of 51.62 seconds and a best single of 50.64 seconds, ahead of Tyler Johnson who placed second with a 56.85 average and Brian Johnson in third with 57.22 seconds. Carter Bitz repeated the feat on the larger 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:34.42 and a best single of 1:27.05, outperforming Tyler Johnson at 1:40.49 and Zeke Mackay at 1:49.28.

In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Carter Kucala set the standard among 38 entrants, capturing the title with a winning average of 11.60 seconds alongside a single of 9.90 seconds. Brody Lassner finished close behind for second place with an average of 11.81 seconds, while Brian Johnson picked up third place at 12.51 seconds. Meanwhile, the mechanical Clock event saw Chris Van Der Brink prevail with a 6.36-second average and a fast single of 4.99 seconds over three rounds, edging out Ben Tibbetts with an average of 6.41 seconds and Joseph Ong at 6.98 seconds.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several solvers delivered substantial milestones during this WCA competition. Joshua Hannant slashed his marks across the board, setting a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 24.99 seconds that was 63.2 percent faster than his prior mark, along with a 5x5x5 Cube best of 1:57.07 that improved by 57.7 percent and a 3x3x3 Cube best of 10.64 seconds. Alex Berge completed six events, delivering a Pyraminx personal best of 5.80 seconds that was 53.1 percent faster than before, while also logging a first attempt at Clock of 10.04 seconds and a first 6x6x6 Cube attempt of 5:01.35. Zac Clement posted a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 54.71 seconds, 47.5 percent faster than before, alongside personal bests of 18.03 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube and 25.23 seconds in Clock. Kaleb Updegraff produced a Pyraminx personal best of 7.92 seconds, representing a 48.3 percent improvement, alongside a 3x3x3 Cube best of 15.91 seconds.

First-time event entries and tournament debuts rounded out an impressive series of breakthroughs on the tournament floor. Isaac Peterson took on five events, registering a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 39.04 seconds, a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt of 2:13.00, and a first Pyraminx mark of 8.25 seconds. Broderick Wahle entered five events, recording initial attempts of 24.65 seconds in Clock, 35.52 seconds in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 2:47.00 in the 5x5x5 Cube. John Wheeler tackled five events, recording an initial Clock attempt of 10.32 seconds, a first Pyraminx time of 2.75 seconds on his way to 15th place, and a 5x5x5 Cube mark of 3:57.79. Cayle Jacobson entered their first WCA competition by taking on six events, logging first-ever attempts of 20.23 seconds in Clock, 1:09.54 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, and 9.24 seconds in Pyraminx.

With 18 podium positions claimed entirely by United States contenders, the gathering highlighted the broad depth of regional speed cubing talent in South Dakota during the 2023 calendar year. From the high-speed sprints in the Pyraminx to the sustained stamina demanded by the 6x6x6 Cube, competitors navigated 14 challenging rounds with steady technique. Sioux Falls Saturday 2023 concluded as an accomplished showcase of dedication and focus, leaving all 61 participants prepared for their next challenges as the upcoming season approaches.