Solving in Sale 2023

Inside the halls of Catholic College Sale, timer mats clicked and puzzle pieces snapped rapidly across two full days of high-tempo action. A total of 73 competitors gathered for Solving in Sale 2023 in Sale, Victoria, Australia, bringing together talent from across the region over the weekend of April 15 to April 16. Across 21 rounds and 11 official events, the competition floor remained active as solvers pushed through early qualifying stages toward Sunday afternoon finals.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered intense drama through three packed rounds of 3x3 results. Riley Dexter captured top honors in the main event, posting a decisive winning average of 6.40 seconds along with a sharp 5.85 single in the final. David Epstein secured the runner-up spot on the podium with a 6.67 average, closely followed by Feliks Zemdegs in third place at 6.73 seconds, concluding an exceptionally quick battle on the classic Rubik's Cube.

The lightning-fast 2x2x2 Cube division delivered equally fierce competition over three rounds featuring 68 competitors. Feliks Zemdegs surged to first place with an impressive winning average of 2.17 seconds, backed by a best single of 1.53. Richard Yiheng Tao of New Zealand took second place with a 2.31 average, while Phoenix Patterson took third on the podium with an average of 2.42 seconds in a high-speed finish.

Dexter continued an outstanding showing across multiple speedcubing formats throughout the weekend. In Pyraminx, Dexter took first place among 57 competitors with a 2.11 winning average and a 1.57 single. Dexter also claimed victory in Skewb, leading a field of 44 entrants across two rounds to win with a 3.70 average and a 2.95 single, further demonstrating remarkable agility across alternate puzzles.

Zemdegs matched that momentum with a dominant run across mid-size and specialized categories. In 4x4x4 Cube, Zemdegs led 45 solvers with a 24.79 winning average, topping Epstein at 30.53 and Dexter at 30.89. Zemdegs took 5x5x5 Cube in 47.21 ahead of Dexter and Epstein, captured Megaminx with a 43.13 average, and claimed first place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with an average of 10.72 ahead of Dexter and Tao.

The depth of this WCA competition showed clearly through the personal milestones reached across the venue floor. Edward Borham delivered a massive personal best in Skewb of 4.50 seconds, cutting 57.9 percent off his previous benchmark. Declan Kamphuis took on eight events, securing 15th in Skewb alongside a 5.96 personal best that trimmed 55.1 percent from his previous mark. Beau Ford lowered his 3x3x3 Cube best by 53.6 percent to 30.27 seconds, while Nicholas Penfold shaved 52.9 percent from his Square-1 mark with a 32.48 personal best.

Other competitors took on ambitious schedules and stepped up to new disciplines for the first time. Jai Hobbs entered all 11 events on the schedule, earning a 20.41 personal best in 3x3x3 One-Handed that proved 46.2 percent faster than before. Ramis Ahmer Siddiqui produced a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 4.65 seconds while logging a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 2:07.59. Vincent Hua completed a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a time of 2:52.00, and Sonny Mahoney made a tournament debut at his first WCA competition, competing in five events including a 26.96 first attempt in the 3x3x3 Cube.

The technical and blindfolded disciplines added further variety to the schedule at Solving in Sale 2023. David Epstein earned the Square-1 title with a 6.49 winning average, finishing ahead of Tao and Patterson. Tam Quan excelled in memory events, winning the 3x3x3 Blindfolded title with a single of 19.32 seconds and securing first place in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind by successfully resolving 21 of 26 cubes in 56:44.

With 29 podium places going to Australia and 4 to New Zealand, the cubing competition showcased exceptional breadth and sharp form. From blistering solves on the 2x2x2 Cube to marathon memory disciplines, the two days of speed cubing in Sale provided an inspiring platform for veterans and newcomers alike as the 2023 season marches forward.