Spooky Solving Idaho 2023

A total of 46 competitors took to the tables in Rexburg, Idaho, USA on October 28, 2023, for a fast-paced single-day tournament. Behind every successful cubing competition is a dedicated crew of organizers, delegates, and volunteers handling scrambles, running score sheets, and maintaining station flow across 13 rounds of action. At the Woodman Ballroom, this collective effort kept seven diverse events moving seamlessly from morning to evening, giving entrants an ideal stage to chase personal milestones and podium spots.

The main Rubik's Cube event stood as the centerpiece of the tournament schedule, demanding precision through three competitive rounds. Eric Pesci captured the top spot on the podium with a winning 3x3x3 Cube average of 8.31 seconds, backed by a tournament-best single of 6.92 seconds. The final round saw intense pressure at the timing mats, where Clément Cherblanc took second place with a 9.17 average and Canyon Pettitt rounded out the top three with a 9.43 mark. The deep field delivered impressive official 3x3 results across the board.

Pesci also proved his command over larger layers by taking the victory in the 4x4x4 Cube. Navigating two rounds of play among 34 competitors, Pesci recorded a winning average of 36.35 seconds and registered the event's quickest single at 31.62 seconds. Cherblanc collected second place with an average of 38.02 seconds, while Isaac Myers secured third place with a 38.74 average. The smooth execution of the multi-layered puzzle brackets reflected the sharp coordination of the event staff running the stage.

Canyon Pettitt enjoyed an exceptional showing across several disciplines, claiming two individual event titles during the weekend. Pettitt dominated the 3x3x3 One-Handed competition, securing gold with an average of 13.84 seconds and a best single of 11.19. Cherblanc followed in second at 15.96 seconds, while Pesci picked up third place at 16.32. Pettitt returned to the winner's circle in Square-1, earning first place with a 9.97 average and an 8.84 single, ahead of Cherblanc in second at 11.97 and Cade Beck in third at 12.85.

Clément Cherblanc demonstrated remarkable versatility by entering nearly every bracket and claiming top honors in both Megaminx and Skewb. In the twelve-sided Megaminx event, Cherblanc claimed victory with a 56.32 average, leaving Pettitt in second at 1:03.99 and Nathan Barbre in third at 1:07.30. Cherblanc then secured the Skewb title with an average of 4.27 seconds, edging out Pettitt's 4.94 and Pesci's 5.53. In Clock, Wilson Hettinger claimed the win with an 8.22 average, holding off Cherblanc's 8.80 and Pettitt's 9.00.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable breakthroughs in their personal speedcubing development. Mark Richey made substantial strides, dropping their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best down to 25.62 seconds, which was sixty percent faster than their previous record, while also making their first official attempts in Skewb with a 9.76 and 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:35.70. Nathan Haban took on five events, logging a 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best of 26.00 seconds that improved by forty-four percent, alongside first-time attempts in Square-1 at 29.88 and Skewb at 11.28. William T. Romriell tackled six events, achieving a 23.63 mark in one-handed solving, 33.4 percent faster than before, while posting initial attempts of 20.03 in Clock and 31.39 in Square-1. Colt Gertsch took on seven events, setting a Megaminx personal best of 2:05.03 that was 23.7 percent faster, while also trying Square-1 for the first time with a 29.31 single.

New milestones continued across the floor as athletes pushed their capabilities in unfamiliar events and established categories alike. Jaydon Welling improved their 3x3x3 One-Handed mark to 19.76 seconds, a 36.7 percent improvement, alongside a 4x4x4 Cube best of 1:05.94. Jared Seek entered five events, recording initial official attempts of 5.38 in Skewb, 25.97 in Clock, and 1:42.04 in 4x4x4 Cube. The tournament also welcomed new competitors into the community, as Zekiel Wong attended their first WCA competition, taking on five events with debut marks of 25.36 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 1:02.67 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Daegan Turnbull also made their debut, recording first-ever official times of 23.47 in the 3x3x3 Cube and 1:00.39 in 3x3x3 One-Handed.

The single-day tournament concluded with competitors from the United States collecting fourteen podium finishes alongside seven podium spots earned by France. Spooky Solving Idaho 2023 offered a complete showcase of speed cubing, made possible by the dedicated individuals managing logistics, judging tables, and data entry throughout the day. With seven events successfully wrapped and numerous personal records established, the regional community looks ahead to the next chapter of competitive solving.