Slow N Steady Spring 2023

A total of 264 competitors converged on College Park, Maryland, USA on April 15 and 16 for Slow N Steady Spring 2023. Over two days inside the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, the schedule presented an intriguing spectrum of disciplines across 13 rounds and eight distinct events. While the classic Rubik's Cube speed events rewarded raw turning pace and reflexive decision-making, the weekend also tested the extreme analytical discipline of long-form solving. In the quiet, high-stakes events that demand patience rather than rapid scrambling, competitors traded frantic hand speed for deep calculation and meticulous planning, creating a striking contrast across the venue floor.

Nowhere was that versatility more evident than in the performances of Stanley Chapel, who put on a masterclass across several contrasting formats. Chapel secured victory in the primary 3x3x3 Cube event, delivering a winning average of 6.85 seconds with a best single of 6.28 across three rounds of intense competition featuring 253 entrants. Michael Nielsen took second place with a 7.54 average, while Waden Cho rounded out the podium in third with 7.57. These 3x3 results capped a weekend of high-level racing at this major WCA competition, demonstrating exceptional composure in the final.

Chapel extended his dominance well into the sightless disciplines, turning the spotlight toward mental endurance. In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, an event where solvers must commit dozens of scrambled puzzles to memory before donning a blindfold, Chapel solved 40 out of 42 cubes in a time of 53:05. Josh Weimer finished as runner-up with a flawless 14 of 14 in 31:45, and Hassan Khanani took third with 13 of 14 in 52:23. Chapel also topped the standard 3x3x3 Blindfolded podium, posting a best single of 15.78 seconds ahead of Liam Chen at 21.45 and Ryan Farish at 26.44.

The larger blindfolded categories produced dramatic conclusions of their own as competitors tackled immense permutation counts without sight. Josh Weimer emerged on top in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, recording a winning average of 3:24.66 and a best single of 2:40.03 to outpace Thiago Han from Brazil, who logged 3:37.54, and Hassan Khanani at 3:27.88. In the 5x5x5 Blindfolded single-round contest, Rowe Hessler claimed the title with a single time of 8:04.42, followed on the podium by Liam Chen at 14:22.00 and Hassan Khanani at 17:07.00.

Back in the quick-turn formats, Zayn Khanani captured the 2x2x2 Cube title at Slow N Steady Spring 2023 with a winning average of 1.54 seconds and a single of 1.02, leading Michael Nielsen at 1.76 and Will Callan at 1.79. Nielsen took top honors in Pyraminx, averaging 1.89 seconds to finish ahead of Jules Graham from New Zealand at 2.20 and Kyle Meade at 2.30. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, Shaun Mack produced a winning average of 11.86 seconds and a best single of 9.41, finishing ahead of Stanley Chapel at 13.24 and Zayn Khanani at 14.16.

Away from the podium battles, several participants achieved major milestones that defined their individual progress across the weekend. Benjamin Lefman delivered a standout breakthrough in the 2x2x2 Cube, lowering his personal best to 3.87 seconds, an improvement of 75.6 percent over his previous mark of 15.88. Yousof Hisham Qosa took on three events, cutting his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 71.4 percent to 16.53 seconds and dropping his Pyraminx best to 9.12 seconds, while also logging his first ever official attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a time of 7.45. Jusraj Waraich competed across four events, slashing his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 68.9 percent down to 5.57 seconds while recording his first ever official attempts in Pyraminx at 13.97 and 3x3x3 One-Handed at 39.56.

Other competitors similarly embraced heavy schedules and unlocked new personal benchmarks. Shashank Thirumale knocked 66 percent off his previous 3x3x3 Cube best with a mark of 15.64 seconds alongside an 8.29 personal best in Pyraminx. William Levenson achieved a 48.7 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube with a 3.64-second mark and dropped his 3x3x3 Cube best to 22.80, while also posting a 12.25 in his first Pyraminx attempt. Tyler Walker entered four events, posting first-time results of 45.34 in 3x3x3 One-Handed and 11.85 in Pyraminx, alongside a 4.01 in 2x2x2 Cube. Adam Martinson took on seven events, securing fourth place in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, recording 6 of 10 in 51:54 in his first 3x3x3 Multi-Blind attempt, and logging an 11:11.00 in his first 4x4x4 Blindfolded attempt. Silas Smith tackled four events, registering a 3.29 personal best in 2x2x2 Cube alongside first-time attempts of 11.08 in Pyraminx and 51.14 in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The depth of participation throughout the 2023 edition highlighted the vibrant community that gathers for regional speedcubing tournaments in Maryland. United States competitors gathered 22 podium places across the weekend, with international representation highlighted by podium finishes from Brazil and New Zealand. Whether engaging in rapid speed cubing heats or the silent contemplation required for blindfolded challenges, the athletes pushed their limits across every round. Slow N Steady Spring 2023 stands as a comprehensive showcase of precision, endurance, and diverse problem-solving talent at every tier of the roster.

As the equipment was packed away in College Park, the weekend concluded having offered a balanced test of speed and calculated patience. Each cubing competition brings a distinct rhythm, but this gathering stood out for how seamlessly it bridged fast-paced sprint solves with marathon blindfolded memorization. Slow N Steady Spring 2023 provided memorable performances for seasoned champions and advancing competitors alike, setting an inspiring standard as the tournament calendar moves forward into the season.