Swoop in Again Oxford 2023

Inside the Armstrong Student Center in Oxford, Ohio, USA, the distinctive sound of turning plastic echoed across rows of competition tables on November 19, 2023. Speedcubers gathered with their timers and display mats, warming up fingers and inspecting puzzles before official runs began. A substantial portion of the gathering consisted of fresh faces taking their opening strides in organized play. Swoop in Again Oxford 2023 brought together 96 competitors across five disciplines, creating an intense single-day slate of eleven rounds where rising talent shared the floor with seasoned champions.

The sheer number of newcomers defined the atmosphere of the day, as numerous speed cubing participants made their official debuts on the tournament stage. First-timers stepped up to the tables alongside seasoned tournament veterans, turning this WCA competition into a memorable milestone for many developing solvers. Across the five featured disciplines, the energy remained high from the initial heats through to the closing finals, showcasing the broad appeal of the sport in the region.

Beyond the championship battles, the tournament provided fertile ground for substantial personal breakthroughs. Neel Godbole unlocked major progress on the Skewb, posting a personal best of 9.43 seconds that was 56.9 percent faster than his prior standard, while also shaving 18.1 percent off his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark at 1:01.25. Evan Gorz sliced 55.8 percent off his Pyraminx personal best with a 10.92, alongside a 20.07 in the Rubik's Cube. Chase Farrell tackled five events and delivered a 7.57 on Skewb, a 55.7 percent improvement, while recording an 18th place finish in Megaminx with a 1:37.60 mark. Wyatt Lynch took on five events, improving his Pyraminx personal best by 51.3 percent to 8.85 and posting his first ever official attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 40.76.

First-ever attempts and deep event rosters continued to highlight the day across the venue floor. Jonah Agliata posted an 8.39 on Skewb, trimming his best by 49.9 percent, and took 20th place in Megaminx at 1:49.10 while entering all five events. Jaylen Delagrange produced a 56.43 in 3x3x3 One-Handed for a 38.8 percent improvement, also logging a first attempt at Skewb in 17.74 and Pyraminx in 5.81. Owen Franks registered a 16.05 in 3x3x3 Cube, bettering his previous mark by 31.4 percent, and registered a 10.62 in his first Skewb attempt. William Grimm entered his very first official tournament, tackling five events and logging initial marks of 12.60 in Skewb, 2:54.67 in Megaminx, and 15.93 in 3x3x3 Cube.

When attention shifted to the main stage, Luke Garrett delivered a commanding masterclass across multiple disciplines at Swoop in Again Oxford 2023. In the 3x3x3 Cube final, Garrett secured victory with a stunning 6.22 winning average and a best single of 5.00, leading a field of 95 competitors across three rounds. Nolan Wood captured the runner-up spot on the podium with a 7.96 average, while Jacob Dyland Bennett finished third with an average of 7.98 to finalize the top 3x3 results.

Garrett extended his dominance into 3x3x3 One-Handed, where 61 entrants faced off over two rounds. Solving with a single hand, Garrett posted a winning average of 10.05 and the fastest single solve of the event at 8.26. Nolan Wood earned his second silver medal of the day with a 12.54 average, while Carter Kucala locked down the third spot on the podium with a 12.78 average.

The Megaminx event provided another gold for Garrett in a 39-competitor field held over one decisive round. Garrett completed his solves with an average of 38.26 and a best single of 37.37 to take top honors. Carter Kucala collected second place with a 56.43 average, followed by Simon Kellum, who reached the podium in third place with a time of 1:01.24.

In the Skewb event, Carter Kucala set the pace across two rounds featuring 70 competitors. Kucala won the title with an average of 2.04 and logged the round best single of 1.54. Simon Kellum secured second place with an average of 3.22, and Luke Garrett added another podium finish to his day by taking third place with an average of 4.42.

Pyraminx brought high-speed execution to the floor, where Ezra Shere led 81 competitors across three intense rounds. Shere captured the title with a rapid winning average of 1.65, backed by a tournament-best single of 1.37. Luke Garrett took the silver medal with a 2.40 average, narrowly edging Simon Kellum, who finished third with an average of 2.42.

The successful conclusion of Swoop in Again Oxford 2023 highlighted the strength of American speedcubing, with United States competitors sweeping all fifteen podium places across the five events. From the commanding multi-event victories at the top of the standings to the dozens of competitors establishing personal bests and first-time marks, the day in Oxford proved to be an inspiring showcase of talent and progress as competitors look forward to the next chapter of the cubing season.