Sydney Square-1v1 2023

The tables inside the Thornleigh Community Centre were lined with mats, timers, and an eclectic assortment of twisted puzzles across the June 3 to June 4 weekend. Enthusiasts from around the region gathered in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, bringing a sharp focus and steady hands to the floor. The venue carried the distinct rhythm of turning plastic and dropping timers as competitors took their marks for a weekend dedicated to specialized events and high-precision disciplines.

A total of 54 competitors assembled for Sydney Square-1v1 2023, tackling an ambitious schedule featuring 10 events spread over 18 rounds. For many in attendance, the gathering represented an entry point into tournament play. Several participants took on their very first official attempts across various categories, infusing the cubing competition with the palpable energy of beginners testing their skills alongside seasoned veterans.

In the specialty category that gave the tournament its name, Benjamin Warry delivered an exceptional performance on Square-1. Across three competitive rounds, Warry set the benchmark with a winning average of 8.36 seconds and a best single time of 7.61 seconds. Daniel Wang secured the runner-up spot on the podium with a 13.06 average, closely followed by Bryan Eng with a 13.18 average in third place.

Bryan Eng put together a dominant showing across the big cube categories. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Eng took the title with a winning average of 54.88 seconds, ahead of Liam Highducheck who marked 1:01.22 and Cass Hopkins with 1:03.79. Eng then swept the 6x6x6 Cube with a 1:47.68 average to beat Highducheck and Terence Chenh, before sealing the big cube sweep in the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 2:47.26 ahead of Chenh and Highducheck.

Beyond the top podium steps, the heart of the speedcubing community was visible in the sheer volume of personal milestones achieved by developing solvers. Anthony Trairattanasirikul entered six events and logged a massive breakthrough in 3x3x3 One-Handed, posting a personal best of 29.53 seconds that improved on his previous mark by 53.1 percent, alongside a Clock best of 14.59. Ethan Ickowicz also made significant strides with a 52.07 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, representing a 38.4 percent improvement, while making his first ever attempts at both 5x5x5 Cube and 6x6x6 Cube. Martin Wentao Zhang logged personal bests in Clock with a 9.10 average and Square-1 with 17.66, which was 26.5 percent faster than his prior record, in addition to attempting the 7x7x7 Cube for the first time.

That drive for expansion across new disciplines continued down the roster. Michael Adams took on six events, achieving his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 15:42.00 while lowering his 6x6x6 Cube best to 2:54.33, a 20.3 percent improvement. Lachlan Camp contested eight events, posting a personal best of 3:22.01 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, a 13.5 percent drop from his previous standard, while also recording his first official Square-1 solve at 37.95. Nathan Tang tackled six events, registering first-ever marks in 7x7x7 Cube with 5:17.86, Clock with 30.96, and Square-1 with 50.17. Felix Rohloff logged debut attempts in Square-1, 5x5x5 Cube, and 6x6x6 Cube, while Zac Ickowicz made his official WCA competition debut at this event, marking his first tournament solve on Clock at 46.67.

The blindfolded categories demanded immense concentration and mental mapping, testing solvers on their recall under pressure. Hans Lin claimed victory in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded final with a winning average of 50.59 seconds, edging out Elias Chong who registered a 50.92 average, while Samuel Moliver rounded out the podium at 1:09.09. Solvers reviewing standard 3x3 results often appreciate the extra layer of difficulty found in unseen solving, and the weekend pushed those memory limits to their absolute peak.

Samuel Moliver proved unbeatable in the multi-cube and ultra-long formats. In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, Moliver solved a perfect 19 out of 19 cubes in a time of 59:34, finishing ahead of Liam Highducheck who solved 9 out of 11 in 56:57, and Fiona Wang with a clean 2 out of 2 in 8:59. Moliver followed that endurance feat with a first-place finish in the 5x5x5 Blindfolded event, completing a successful single of 15:25.00 where every other finalist logged a DNF.

Fast action rounded out the schedule across the remaining events. Benjamin Warry picked up his second victory of the weekend in 3x3x3 One-Handed, clocking a 13.01 winning average and a best single of 9.87 seconds across two rounds of play involving 46 competitors. In Clock, Kaidyn De Luca-Mazza captured first place with an impressive 5.51 average over three rounds, besting Daniel Wang and Declan Flowers. Daniel Wang added a victory of his own in the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event with a single of 4:30.36.

As the final timers were packed away, the 2023 edition of Sydney Square-1v1 2023 highlighted both elite execution and the steady influx of new talent into the sport of speed cubing. With all 33 podium places secured by competitors representing Australia, the gathering reinforced the strength of the national scene while offering newcomers a solid foundation for their tournament careers.