Stevenage June 2023

Inside The Forum, the competition floor buzzed across two packed days as solving mats filled with an eclectic mix of geometric hardware. From twelve-sided dodecahedrons and triangular pyramids to traditional cubes of varying layers, the venue showcased the full spectrum of modern twisty puzzles. Competitors adjusted their tensioning, warmed up their fingers, and lined up across multiple stages, creating an energetic atmosphere defined by the distinctive clatter of rapid turning.

Held on June 24 to June 25, 2023, the gathering drew 180 competitors to Stevenage, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Over the course of 20 rounds across nine distinct disciplines, this major WCA competition put every style of solving to the test. Whether tackling big cubes, navigating purely mechanical oddities, or using only a single hand, participants demonstrated remarkable versatility throughout the busy schedule.

The classic Rubik's Cube drew the largest contingent of the weekend, featuring 170 entrants over four rounds of intense action. In the final, James Alonso of the United Kingdom captured the victory, posting a 6.27 winning average to top the 3x3 results alongside a best single of 5.57. Chris Mills claimed second place with a 7.09 average, while Germany's Sebastian Weyer rounded out the podium in third with 7.14.

Short-format sprinting proved just as fiercely contested on the 2x2x2 Cube, where James Alonso secured another gold. Alonso took the title with a 1.94 average and a 1.13 single, finishing level on average with runner-up Nicholas Archer at 1.94, while Juliette Sébastien of France took third place with 2.02. Nicholas Archer found his own gold in 3x3x3 One-Handed, winning with a 9.36 average ahead of Sébastien's 9.80 and Mills's 11.62.

Big cube mastery belonged firmly to Sebastian Weyer, who delivered commanding performances in both the 4x4x4 Cube and 5x5x5 Cube. Weyer claimed the 4x4x4 title with a 22.73 average and a 19.59 single, besting Daniel Partridge at 30.66 and Juliette Sébastien at 31.10. In the 5x5x5 event, Weyer took the top spot with a 47.98 average and a 40.35 single, ahead of Partridge at 58.65 and Ben Stokes at 1:01.12.

Beyond the podium battles, Stevenage June 2023 provided plenty of breakthrough moments for dedicated competitors expanding their repertoires. Russell Goh achieved an enormous personal best in 2x2x2 Cube with a 5.79 single, improving 61.5 percent from an earlier 15.03 mark, alongside a 2:14.27 in 5x5x5 Cube. Jesse Cemal dropped their 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 57.9 percent down to 26.63 and logged their first official attempts at Pyraminx with 10.89 and Skewb with 9.24. Ralphie King improved their 2x2x2 Cube single by 56.3 percent to 2.08, while Danny Kwan Wai Chan cut 43.1 percent off their previous best in the same event to record a 2.14 single.

The depth of progression continued through varied disciplines across the roster. Eli Clarke cut 42.4 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube personal best with a 2.51 single, while recording first attempts in Skewb at 11.80 and Megaminx at 2:48.07. Mohamad Hamdan Ali posted a 36.4 percent improvement in 2x2x2 Cube with 3.23 and completed a first Pyraminx attempt in 9.36. Ben Andrews dropped their one-handed mark by 34.5 percent to 26.67 and tried Megaminx for the first time with 2:29.34, while Vihaan Palsapure made first appearances in Pyraminx at 15.88 and 5x5x5 Cube at 4:49.39.

Non-cubic challenges added further variety to the programme. In Pyraminx, Daniel Partridge earned first place with a 2.53 average, finishing ahead of Jason Harley at 2.78 and Sweden's Bo Forsell at 3.56. Partridge also claimed victory in Skewb, posting a 3.30 winning average. In Megaminx, Sean Moran secured the top position with an impressive 39.11 average, outperforming Juliette Sébastien at 40.86 and Chris Mills at 45.32. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Ben Stokes took victory with a single of 19.46.

Across every event, Stevenage June 2023 celebrated the rich technical scope of speed cubing, with competitors from the United Kingdom claiming 19 podium spots alongside representations from France, Germany, and Sweden. The wide range of hardware tested every conceivable skill, from raw speed to spatial endurance, wrapping up a memorable weekend of speedcubing at The Forum.